Christmas in the SRU
by roxypony
Summary: Under rennovations because it's old and weird. I plan to revise and make it less crappy in time for Christmas 2011. Stay tuned! It's also not complete, it still needs an epilogue almost 3 years later... yikes.
1. prologue: Operation Mistletoe

I had to start writing my Flashpoint Christmas story today so I'll get done by Christmas! This is just the prologue, it'll get better! And it's mostly from Spike's POV, but POV's will alternate through each chapter.  Enjoy!

I don't own Flashpoint (unless I'm dreaming or asleep in Art class) or Timbits! I would like to own some...living in the middle of nowhere is sweet, but the nearest Timmy's is about 20 minuites away.  (Is it Timmy's or Timmie's? I care about spelling xD)

* * *

September 25, 2008

Spike was overjoyed. He'd accomplished one of his many his life's missions. After no less than 106 (he'd counted) e-mails back and forth for over four-and-a-half months, he had convinced Greg Parker's ex-wife Kate and their son to visit Toronto for Christmas. Despite the one catch (she didn't want to pay for her own plane tickets) she agreed reluctantly to fly in on the 23rd, have dinner with Greg on the 24th, and destiny would decide what would happen from there. It was Spike's Christmas gift to Greg. And it was top-secret. Sam, Jules, and Lou knew about the plan. Ed, on the other hand, had no idea. Spike knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't agree. He'd say something like "They're divorced for a reason." or "Don't make this worse for either of them." Spike thought this was total crap. Greg had changed a lot over the 9 years, _And God knows he needs a woman in his life! _he thought as he re-read the last e-mail. There was just one more task: Pray that Sam, Jules, and Lou wouldn't mind donating some money for the air fare. He checked the time. It was 12:15, lunch time, maybe he'd get lucky enough to catch his three supporters without Ed or Greg around.

As he'd been for the past four-and-a-half months, Spike got lucky. Ed and Greg were writing reports in the briefing room, and Sam, Jules, and Lou were alone in the rec room. Jules was watching the TV above the treadmills, and Sam and Lou were taking turns throwing a gigantic purple excersise ball at each other. As Spike walked over, the ball bounced off Lou's head after a particularly intense throw from Sam, and landed on the table, knocking Jules's Timmie's coffee all over a folder of reports Ed had left there.

"Mature much?" Jules complained, getting off the treadmill and picking up the ruined folder. "Wow. I can't wait to see Ed's reaction when he finds this."

Sam reached into his pocket and groaned. "My gun is never here when I need it!"

"You'll need more than a few little bullets when Ed comes back. He missed a hockey game to write those." Lou added.

Sam glared at Lou. "It bounced off _your_ head, Buddy. We're all in this together."

"Except me." Juled laughed.

"What are you talking about? You should have told us not to throw it!"

"Oh yeah. I keep forgetting I'm a kindergarten teacher, not a Sniper." Jules rolled her eyes.

Spike stepped in.

"Before Ed eats you all for breakfast, I have an important announcment. You all remember my little Christmas plan, right? The one I like to call "Operation Mistletoe?""

"Mhmm."

"Yeah."

"You couldn't have picked a cheesier name."

"Put a sock in it, Braddock, or you'll get stale Timbits in your stocking this year! Anyway, Operation Mistletoe is a 90% go!"

"Well done. Did she just agree so you'd stop e-mailing her?"

"Who cares? The point is, she's coming!"

"So what do you have to do for the last 10%?"

Spike gave his best used-car-salesman grin. "That's where _you_ come in!"

"We have to pay her air fare, don't we?"

"Jules, your intellectual skills are just as spectacular as your shooting ability." Spike said in voice that almost always worked on women.

"Save it, Romeo." Jules sighed as she pulled put her checkbook.

"I just bought a new laptop and matching iPod." Sam lamented.

"Come on, Dude, your dad is loaded!"

"Who said he shares with me?"

Spike added his own contribution to the pile and added up the total.

"We have exactly enough for one ticket."

"Thats all we need, right?"

"Dean's coming too."

"Spike, do you know how slim the chances are of this going well?"

Spike determinedly ignored this and said, "I have enough air miles on my credit card for half of his ticket."

Scilence.

"Come on guys, this is for Greg! You know how many times he's saved our asses?"

Slowly, Sam and Lou pulled out their checkbooks. Jules smiled slightly and produced her Air Miles card and shoved it into Spike's hand.

"I had almost enough to go to Australia.  You had better make sure this works out."

Spike grinned and pulled a Timbit from the box that was sitting on the table beside the coffee-soaked reports.

"Here's to Operation Mistletoe!"

Reluctantly, Sam, Jules, and Lou raised their Timbits as well.

"Here's to hoping Spike doesn't get us all kicked off the team." Lou contributed.

"Um...Here's to Air Miles and Timbits!" Sam felt compelled to add.

"Here's to Ed and Greg coming out of the briefing room." Jules smirked.

Even from the other side of the room they could hear Ed's cry of,

_"What the hell is on my reports?"_

Sam and Lou started to panic. Jules chuckled and headed off towards her personal change room. Spike grabbed the remaining Timbits and returned to his computer to return Kate's e-mail. Operation Mistletoe, despite its cheesy name, was 100% go!

* * *

Operation Mistletoe.  I thought it was kinda cute-ish in a tacky way.  Muahaha.  Review if you don't want stale Timbits in your stocking this year!


	2. Down Santa Claus Lane

Here's chap 2! The song lyrics are property of Hilary Duff (Ewww, but i don't have a very big selection of Christmas music :(

**Lochlyn:** Yea he's such an interesting character, i hope there gets to be a lot of fics about him :) You shall see where this story is heading, and hopefully you will all see BEFORE Christmas...hopefully i don't get time-crunched. i HATE that... :) (and update The Sargeant's Son soon? plzz :)

**CSNYpanther:** Thanks xD That's my favourite reader reaction :D

**Justicerocks:** Thanks :D i laughed too, but then again, thats just me! Keep on laughing! (amd updating)

FYI at some point in this chapter i will mention a character named Raine Coleman, shes an OC by me that will appear in the next chapter of Clear To Fire (which will be up soon :) and Dave is Sam's friend from ep. 7 that killed himself :(

* * *

_I remember last Christmas Eve  
Something happened that I couldn't believe  
I went for a walk as the snow came down  
And when it stopped I was in a different town  
And the sign said have no fear,  
you're not lost, you're here!_

December 5

For a moment, Greg Parker thought he'd walked into the wrong room. What had yesterday been Team One's rec room was now a winter wonderland. Fake snow covered the floor, and the walls were lined with wreaths and ornaments. Beside the cofee table, Wordy was taping a large glossy picture of an elf to the wall. Spike and Sam were unpacking large boxes of various decorations. Jules was hanging up an assortment of colourful stockings, each of which had a team member's name stitched on them in bright silver thread. Lou was sticking paper snowflakes to the window. Ed was sitting in a tinsel-wrapped chair, observing the proceedings while sipping a large Double Double. He looked up as Greg took a seat beside him.

_Walking this christmas  
Down Santa Claus Lane  
No need to wonder  
No need to explain  
Just have some faith in what you see  
Your right here where you wanna be  
Walking this christmas  
Down Santa Claus Lane  
_  
"I have no idea what happened in here, Boss, but I can assure you that I was no part of it." the bald sniper stated as he looked around at the festive chaos. "Spike, Sam, Jules, and Lou were already at it when I got here. Wordy thought it was fun idea, so he gave them a hand. But I don't know who's idea it was. It's not exactly professional, is it?"

Greg opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment, there was a loud crash behind him, and the sound of about 40 or 50 miniature golden bells spilling onto the floor (dropped accidentally by Lou) followed by a loud yell of alarm as an unsuspecting Sam stepped several at once and almost toppled over, losing his armful of wreaths in the process. As their luck would have it, the wreaths tipped Ed's coffee onto his brand new Outdoor Living magazine.

"I keep forgetting this is the Strategic Response Unit, not elementary school." Ed complained as he shot Sam and Lou an ice-cold glare.

"You two have crappy luck with Ed's coffee." Jules smirked as she watched the two clumsily attempt to mop up the cofee with some kleenexes,

"Braddock and Young, you are going to buy me one coffee each per day until I say you can stop." the senior officer added grumpily as he picked up the soaked magazine and left the room.

Two seconds of ringing silence followed as Ed slammed the door, after which Spike announced:

"Ed is _pissed_!"

"You're an amazingly talented people reader." Jules teased as she wiped up the remaining coffee. "But yeah, that _was_ grumpy, even for Ed."

"I don't know about that." Wordy contributed. "I'd be pretty pissed if Braddock and Young were always spilling coffee on me."

"Twice in three months isn't _always_!" Sam protested.

"Clearly it's enough to piss Ed off."

"Ok, that's enough." Greg interrupted gently. "Ed's just a bit stressed. We've had a lought of tough calls lately, right?"

"Right..."

_Elves were standing in the street  
Snow men and reindeer came out to greet  
Silver bells chimed from far away  
As santa rode by on an open sleigh  
And he told me have no fear  
Your not lost, your here!_

_**Earlier the next morning...**_

At 6:30 in the morning, someone was ringing Sam's doorbell. It was about 5 degrees in his house, as the heater was broken (and he had no idea how to fix it) so he remained in bed, in hopes that his visitor would leave. But the ringing persisted, so he ventured to the door, dragging his heaviest blanket with him.

The UPS delivery man checked his watch as the door slowly opened to reveal a sleepy-looking guy with fluffy blond hair and a huge blanket draped over him. No one would have expected he was a professional sniper with a license to kill.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Sam blinked sleepily and waited for they guy to say something.

"I have a delivery for Mr. Braddock?"

Sam blinked again and mumbled, "Me."

UPS guy smiled perkily and handed Sam some paperwork and jogged back to his truck. Sam blindly scribbled his signature on several empty spaces, and looked up. UPS guy appeared to be unloading some sort of box from his truck, so Sam took the opportunity to lean against the door frame and resume sleeping, and dreaming his heater was working...

_Blam!_

Thus was the sound of a newspaper colliding with Sam's skull. Making a mental note to Scorpio the paper boy at the next possible opportunity, he opened his eyes and glanced around. UPS guy appeared to be gone, and there was now substantial daylight. Sam checked his watch and realised he had been sleeping in the doorframe for about half an hour. What was more, there was 10 boxes sitting in his yard. 10 suspiciously large boxes. Pulling his blanket tighter around his shoulders, he made a dash towards the closest box. Several steps into the yard revealed that he had forgotten his slippers. But a lifetime of tough military training had not been wasted on Sam. He sprinted towards the box, grabbed it, and hauled it into the house, (losing his blanket in the process), grabbed his slippers, and bolted back to retrieve his blanket. Once safely out of the cold (sort of, it was 10 below outside, and five degrees indoors). He proceeded to rip into the first box. He saw sparkles. Pretty red sparkles. Further unpacking revealed...a sleigh? Holy crap, someone had sent Sam a _huge _sparkly red Santa-style sleigh.

He stood back and stared at it. There was an envelope taped to the seat. He ripped it open, and recognized his friend Chris Jordy's messy handwriting.

_Hey Braddock!_

_So, our base finally got an internet connection! As you can see, we now have full access to eBay, and can have stuff shipped to anywhere in the world. Hehe. Since this is your first Canadian Christmas in 8 years, we sent you a "little" something to add some sparkle. We're glad we're not over there, cuz you probably want to kick our asses. Oh well. Imagining your expression when you unwrap Rudolph and Company is worth the 139$ we paid for shipping and handling. No lie. _

Then the handwriting changed. This part was written by Base Camp 22's only doctor and only female occupant, Raine Coleman, one of Sam's best friends.

_We all miss you over here, and Matt and Dave too. I can't belive we were all here together last year, and how we thought nothing was ever going to change it. If we'd known what would happen this year, maybe we would have partied a little harder last Christmas. We haven't heard much from you since Dave died, but we hope you're ok. I figured if you survived Matt's accident, you can survive anything. And stop telling yourself it's your fault. You know it's not. Still, it doesn't feel right without all of us. Make sure you e-mail us now that we have internet, because right now you seem just as far away as Matt and Dave.  
Anyway, hope you find a use for your present, and don't pretend to be too pissed. We know you love it. And we know you love us too! I hear you're a cop now. Try not to eat too many doughnuts, and don't have too much fun with the siren and and flashing lights on the car!_

_Love you forever!!! xoxo From Raine and Chris :)_

Sam read the letter three times over before realising there were tears in his eyes. He'd been so busy trying to forget the painful parts of his past, he'd almost forgotten the good parts. Chris Jordy, the loyalest best friend you could ever find, and Raine, who was just plain amazing in every way...

Sam felt a buzz from his cell phone. He was receiving a text message from Spike:_ dude ur late for day 2 of decorating. hurry up cuz were about to do something important..._

Important? That sounded ominous. Especially since it involved Spike and Christmas... Sam answered the text:

_k bring ur truck by my house. i have some xmas stuff we can put in the rec room._

_sweet. what kind of stuff?_

_ull see. but i promise ed is gonna LOVE it ;)_

_nice. cant wait XD._

Sam changed into some warm clothes then unpacked the remaining boxes (which turned out to be 9 life-sized plastic reindeer) and loaded Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, and Comet into the back of his truck, stuck Rudolph in the back seat, and set Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen on the front lawn to wait for a ride with Spike.

_Walking this christmas  
Down santa claus lane  
No need to wonder  
No need to explain  
Just have some faith in what you see  
Your right here where you wanna be  
Walking this christmas  
Down Santa Claus Lane  
Down Santa Claus Lane_

Well hopefully that was long enuf :) Review!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAVID PAETKAU!!!!! (tomorrow, Nov 10!!!!) 31 and still GORGEOUS!!!! this one is for him (drools) LOVE YA MAN!  
Hehe, at the barn where i keep my horse for the winter, i keep my stuff in a locker and on the locker i have a poster of Sam/David and another of Jules, Ed, Greg, and Sam. it's a beautiful thing even though none of my friends undstand :P)

* * *


	3. We Need A Little Christmas Now!

One review last chapter?? I was dissapointed!! At least it was long so it makes up for the rest of you slackers!! ;)

**Justicerocks: **Thank you SO much! I'm glad you like it so much, this is actually pretty fun to write. Don't worry, I support Sam/Jules forever (unless Sam/Roxy is an option) ;) Keep writing me long reviews, but not too long cuz you need your energy to keep updating!!!!!! :D

The song lyrics are "We Need A Little Christmas", the Muppets version. That's right, I used the Muppets version. I'm gonna use a different Christnas song each chapter.

_

* * *

_

Haul out the holly  
We're getting home so we can start to celebrate  
Fill up the stockings  
We may be rushing things but we can hardly wait now

"Wow, Braddock." Spike said as he loaded Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, and the sleigh into the back of his truck. "Where did you find these things?"

"I have my sources." Sam laughed. "And a few friends overseas who have a retarded sense of humour." he added affectionately.

"Nice." Spike grinned. "Ok, let's get moving. We might want to put some bullet-proof vests on the reindeer when we get there...Ed won't be too happy."

"We might have to use them as riot shields if he realises _we_ put them there." Sam answered darkly. "He's pissed enough at me and Lou. You'd think we spilled toxic waste instead of coffee."

Spike suddenly frowed. "Don't be too hard on him, man. He's got enough on his plate, what with his personal issues and all..."

"What personal issues?" Sam asked in alarm.

"You didn't know?" Spike replied with equal suprise.

"I thought he told everyone...His wife is _really_ mad at him, cuz apparently he's been skipping family stuff for a long time and he just forgot her birthday the other week. She's thinking of leaving him... I thought he would have told you by now."

"Is she serious?"

"She must be. Ed doesn't get rattled easy."

For a while, both guys just stared awkwardly at the ground.

"No one...tells me..._anything_." Sam muttered through gritted teeth.

"Come on... He has so much to think about, I'm sure he had no idea you didn't know." Spike said carefully

"He doesn't trust me! I can't believe after all this time, he still doesn't trust me..." The air suddenly felt much colder.

"Don't say that-"

"Forget it. Let's just go!" Sam snapped, climbing into his sexy blue Dodge Ram and slamming the door.

"Ouch. We need a little Christmas, right this very minuite." Spike mumbled sadly to himself as he jumped into his own truck and followed Sam.

_For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute  
Candles in the window, carols at the spinet  
Yes we need a little Christmas, right this very minute  
It hasn't snowed a single flurry  
Santa, we're all in a hurry_

_  
_Sam didn't know what to expect when he opened the door to Team 1's rec room dragging two reindeer. At the very least, he assumed he would be yelled at, most likely by Ed. But to his great relief, the room was mainly empty. Greg was sitting at the coffee table, typing on his laptop. Jules was sitting across from him, digging through a box of Christmas decorations. Sam dropped the reindeer, and they looked up.

"Good morning. I'm not even going to ask." Greg said, resuming his typing.

"What the hell are those?" Jules asked incredulously.

"Umm...They appear to be reindeer..."

"You don't say! I mean what are they doing here?"

"Call it a gift."Sam grunted as he dropped Dasher and Dancer beside the treadmills. "Hey Jules, could you, um, give us a hand? There's about 6 more reindeer, plus the sleigh..."

"You mean like a one-horse open sleigh?" Jules grinned. "Or an Extreme-Bobsledding style sleigh? Cuz, you know know, I've always wanted one of those."

"I'll keep that in mind..." Sam suddenly found himself getting lost in her eyes...

"You look stoned all of a sudden." she smirked. Spike burst out laughing. Sam stepped on his toe. "Come on, let's get the rest of your stupid deer." she added, grabbing his arm and dragging him playfully out the door. Spike followed, laughing all the way.

_Haul out the holly  
Turn on the brightest string of lights we've ever seen  
Slice up the fruitcake  
It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough_

Sam shuffled his feet through the snow. Damn, he loved snow. he hadn't seen any for over 8 years. His few visits to Canada over the past 8 years had occurred during the summer. He gave the snowdrift one last kick to appreciate the sparkly white puff, and then lifted two reindeer from the back of the truck.

"Ookay, I've got Donner and Blitzen, Spike has Comet and Cupid, and you take Prancer and Vixen. Then we'll come back for Rudolph and-"

"You named them? Braddock, you're so cute. And of course, _mature_." Jules interrupted as she lifted Prancer out of the truck.

_Smack!_

"Sam, what the _Hell_?" Jules gasped as she brushed the remains of a snowball off her face.

"You hurt my feelings." he said as seriously as he could.

"You won't have feelings for much longer, cuz I'm gonna make your face numb!" she half-laughed, half-yelled.

"Bring it, Callaghan!"

"Braddock, you are gonna wish you never left the desert when I get through with you."

Both bent down to scoop up some ammunition, when _WHAM!_ Each were hit with a snowball at the same time.

Sam looked up, his side stinging from the impact. Spike's gloves were covered in snow, and he was grinning the trademark Spike grin. Jules had ignored Spike's attack and was making neat little snowballs.

"Spike!" Sam yelped. "That was _ice_!"

"Oops." said Spike.

Sam was currently not holding any ammunition, so he playfully threw a punch at Spike. Spike grabbed his arm and twisted it, flipping Sam into the snow. Sam kicked at Spike's ankle and brought him down. Scrambling to his feet, he proceeded to pick up a large handful of powdery snow and dropped it on Spike's face. Spike recovered quickly, leaping up and putting Sam in a headlock.

-_f.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k.-_

_Sam and Matt were off duty, and wandering around the base. It was a week before Christmas, but you'd never know. Everyone was tired, grumpy, and desperately missing home. Except Sam. He had no desire to spend Christmas with his ice-cold father and overprotective mother. He had everything he needed right there at Base Camp 22. Lots of interesting stuff to do, and four best friends, Chris, Matt, Dave, and Raine. All he really wanted now was a bit of Christmas spirit._

_"Hey, have you seen Raine around?" Matt asked._

_Sam checked his watch "Yeah, she's doing examinations all morning, butshe'll be on her lunch break in about 15 minuites."_

_Matt laughed. "You always know where she is, what she's doing, and what time she's on her break."_

_"Um, lunch break time is pretty standard...She's taken her break at the exact same time every day for as long as she's been here."_

_Matt patted Sam hard on the back. "Whatever, Buddy. Whatever."_

_Sam shoved him away. "It's her freakin lunch break, everyone knows that!"_

_Matt grinned sneakily. "Who are you trying to convince, Sammy? Me or you?"_

_Sam jumped on him. Mat was still laughing like an idiot. "You know I can bend you like a paper clip! Why bother?"_

_Sam wrapped his hand somewhat gently around Matt's throat. _

_"Sam and Raine, sittin' in a tree! Hmm...There aren't many trees around here, are there? How 'bout a tank?" Matt teased happily. _

_"Sam and Raine, sittin' on a tank, K-I-S-S-I--gaaaahhhhh!" he gargled as Sam tightened his grip on Matt's throat._

_"Time to shut up." Sam growled, trying not to laugh._

_"Okay, okay..."_

_"Say the magic words first."_

_"Hell no!"_

_Sam tightened his grip some more..._

_"Damn it. " Matt glared. "Okay jackass, have it your way: Braddock's the best, He's the toast of the town, life's always better when Sam is around! Now let go of my damn neck!"_

_Sam immediately relinquished his grip, and Matt jumped out of his way._

_"Was that so hard?" the blond sniper smirked._

_"You blackened my soul." Matt replied darkly._

_"Then my work here is done."_

_Then came a new voice...a female voice. "Work? I had no idea you knew what that word meant, Braddock."_

_Sam and Matt turned. There stood Raine, in all her glory...and best of all, she was holding a tray of Christmas cookies._

_"Food!" Sam and Matt yelled at the same time. Raine rolled her eyes, but her lips curved into a smile._

_As Sam munched a green-sprinkled Christmas tree, Matt said "Guess what, Raine? I wrote you a Christams song."_

_"Kill me now."_

_"Ok, here it goes." he said with an evil gleam in his eye. Sam realised what he was about to sing. He lunged, but Matt was too fast. He put Sam into a headlock, immobilising him. Raine couldn't seem to keep a straight face, and burst out laughing, throwing a cookie at Sam's head._

_"Sammy and Rainey, sitting on a-"_

_"Damn it, Matt, let go!" _

"Matt, let go!" Sam laughed. Spike released the headlock and backed off, looking puzzled.

"You feeling Ok? Who the heck is Matt? I'm Spike, remember?"

"...Huh?" Sam's thoughts came crashing back to the present. "Oh...sorry, Spike. You just remind me of someone I used to know." Sam wasn't sure if anyone else on the team knew about what happened in Kandahar...did Ed keep the secret? It didn't matter. It was in the past, and if they didn't know already, they'd find out sooner or later.

He saw a strange look cross Jules's face. A mixture of sympathy, compassion, understanding, and curiosity. And he knew she knew. She stepped closer and slipped her arm around his. Sam suddenly felt extremely warm and cozy, but it had nothing to do with his new winter coat. He glanced at her, and their eyes locked. Suddenly, Spike felt he shouldn't be there. He got a good grip on his reindeer and made a dash out of the parking lot towards the front door. Before he made an entry into the building, he paused to spy on his friends. They were standing face to face, _holding hands! _Spike debated whether or not he should tease them loudly from across the parking lot, but his feelings of friendship won over his feelings of mischeviousness. So he settled for watching them silently from behind Wordy's car. They didn't kiss (to Spike's dissapointment.) They appeared to be talking. Just talking...

Spike felt a sharp buzz in his pocket. He pulled his phone out. Caller ID read "Sarge".

"Hey Boss." Spike answered.

"Scarlatti, where are you? We're getting a call! Two kids hostage in the mall!"

"Woowee, sounds fun."

"Get your ass up here, and bring Braddock and Callaghan with you!"

_Click._

_Dang._ Spike thought. If they had a little more time, maybe they would have kissed....or at least gotten closer... He cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled "HOSTAGE SITUATION!" across the parking lot as loud as he could.

Sam and Jules broke apart. Reluctantly.

How Spike loved playing matchmaker.

***

It was 11 p.m. by the time they finally pulled back into Headquarters.

Everyone was in the rec room, but it was dead silent other than soft scratching of pens on paper and the gentle clicking of the keyboard. The situation had been a stessful and terrifying ordeal. The subjects had been a man and his 17 year old son, trying to steal money to save their large poverty-stricken family...and both were drunk. Each had grabbed a child as a hostage. As Greg negotiated, the teen seemed to be calming down, but suddenly, without warning, he shot his hostage. Greg immediately called Scorpio. It was Sam who pulled the trigger. After watching his son die, the man shot at Greg. Only his bullet-proof vest saved his life. He gave up negotiating and called Scorpio again after that. Ed ended it. The surviving hostage child was traumatized, and in the hospital being monitored.

Now, the cold desolation in the room was unmistakable. Greg sat at the coffee table, slowly typing a report. Dr. Luria sat very close to him. She seemed to have her arm around his shoulders. On a happier day, Spike would have commented, but he was silent like everyone else.

Sam was sitting at the far end of the coffee table, in the darkest corner of the room, leaning on the table with his head in his arms. He appeared to be sleeping, but he felt so tense, so on edge, that he doubted he'd ever sleep again. _I killed a teen. A child. I killed a child. He was drunk, but he was still a child, _his thoughts whispered miserably. The room was warm, but he felt like he was lying deep under the snow.

Ed stood by the window, leaning on the windowsill, staring out at the falling snow. There were reports to be written, but right now, his head was spinning. What would become of the wife and four young children the man said were waiting for him at home? Without their father and oldest brother to provide for them? _He had it coming, _the Sniper side of his brain argued. _But what about his family? _His fatherly side protested. _And it's so close to Christmas._

Greg was numb. Numb to the cold keys of his laptop as he typed a meaningless report, and numb to Amanda Luria's gentle presence beside him. _What went wrong? _he screamed inwardly. He was positive the teen had de-escalated. He was calming down, telling Greg about his four siblings. When his gun went suddenly back to the head of the terrified child in his arms, he had no time to react. And the subject pulled the trigger. Greg didn't remember much afer that. It was just a blur of words, screams, and gunshots. _Bang. _The teen fell. _Bang. _Greg crumpled to the floor. _Bang._ The man fell. And it was all over. _What did I do wrong?_

Jules was watching them all. This had been no ordinary kill. They'd torn a suffering family apart, and now they were paying the price. Their pain made her want to cry, but there was nothing she could do. Nothing would change the past, or erase the images of the father and son falling to the floor in a pool of blood. Their only small condolence was the fact that one of the hostages had been saved. One. Not both, as it should have been. One, and she'd suffer most of all...

Christmas was less than three weeks away, but from here, it seemed like it had never and would never exist. But right now, they needed the spirit more than ever._  
_

_For we need a little music, need a little laughter  
Need a little singing ringing through the rafter  
Yes we need a little snappy happy ever after  
We need a little Christmas now _

_

* * *

_There it is! A long chappie! I made Sam's flashback a little longer than i intended, but thats what happens when you're a total Sam Fiend...And i didn't mean to make this chapter so sad towards the end. from now on, it's going to stay light and fun. :) Lol Justicerocks, now you know who Raine is. She'll be in the next chap of CTF which is half-done. (FYI i don't think i mentioned it in this chap, but she's a nurse/doctor at the army base where Sam is)

SO REVIEW OR YOU WON'T GET NO FREAKIN TIM HORTONS CHRISTMAS COOKIES!!!!

Love Roxy*


	4. What Christmas Should Be

Against my instincts, I am going to keep this chappie spoiler-free....sniffle. But if you wanna talk about the unaired episodes, message me ASAP!

Here it is at last!! Hopefully you're satisfied, cuz it's a long one! I don't think it's my best chapter, i'm really rushing through this story because i don't want to be working on it after Christmas. Sigh. I tried to start earlier...but i'm going to work myself harder than i normally work because i want this done! unfortunately i probably wont update Clear To Fire until after Christmas....Sorry Sam :'(

Sam: I'm not complaining....

_**THIS WEEK, COOKIES GO TO:**_

**Lochlyn:** Of course i didn't hurt Greg! (badly, at least). I love him way too much!! Hehe, no Christmas fic is complete without snowballs...:D

**Justicerocks:** WOOHOO i got your longest review ever! Yeah i'm glad you didn't find the flashback too tedious! You've been so good about updating, i wish i was as fast...but maybe ill kep the chapters shorter and get more to the point...when i write dialogue i tend to drag it out, which is a habit i must break...  
Lol, found your Archuleta CD yet? *shivers* David Cook pwns him!! Oh so many Davids...i have 2 cousins and 2 uncles named David! But can you guess which David is my favourite? You're never gonna guess...Hehe ;)

Come on people, I love my two faithful reviewers BUT I WANT MORE! It's like putting episodes of Flashpoint on your iPod...you can never have enough. (speaking of which, when will the unaired eps be available on iTunes??) So take a minuite and make my day by sending a nice long review.

Anyway lets just get on with it. The song is "What Christmas Should Be" by Hilary Duff. (Who I don't own. Thank God.) But despite my deep loathing of Hilary Duff, I actually like the song. Someone else (David Cook?) should re-make it...it's too good for her!!

* * *

_What wishes will you make  
When the season is near  
Will your dreams be the same  
As they were last year_

It was 5 in the morning, and someone was texting Jules. She was half-relived to be awoken by her beeping cell phone, because she'd been re-living yesterday's gruesome hostage incident in her dreamse... On the other hand, it was _5 am!_ She grabbed the phone off her bedside table and flipped it open. She was not suprised to see it was from Spike. Who else would be texting at 5 am? She could just picture him in his bed in his parent's basement, sitting under the covers with a flashlight, texting up a storm. The mental image made her smile for the first time since being dispatched to yesterday's situation. The message said:

_good morning sunshine. awake yet?_

_what kind of loser texts at 5am? _she answered.

_how r u feeling? yesterday was messed up _

_dont worry about me. im fine._

_if i didnt know u any better, id say ur still shaken up, just like the rest of us_

_how are U feeling._

_just as fine as u! at least im in good company_

_what company? ur parents?_

_nah, sam and lou are here!_

_WTF, its 5 am!_

_yea they came home with me last nite. _

_so...the 3 of u had a slumber party in ur basement??????? _

_no slumber. weve been watching tv and playing air hockey since 1 am!_

_wow. just...wow!!!!! wait till i tell everyone else. LMFAO._

_SPIKE LIKES KIRA!!!!!!!_

_wtf?_

_sorry that was sam. he stole my phone._

_awww spike, you and kira would be so cute together ;) _

_i know!!! :D_

_good for u. so can i go back to sleep now, or do u want to tell me more about ur sleepover?_

_nothing leaves this room. we promised._

_CREEPY._

_jk, we're not exactly having tender moments over here. we're playing air hockey and watching Family Guy re-runs. but anyway, what i was gonna say, is that we have some plans for tomorrow. its our day off, but Sarge is going to HQ to do some paperwork. so the plan is, we kidnap him and then we all go xmas tree shopping! we're meeting up with Ed and Wordy's families when we get to the tree place._

_u want to kidnap Sarge and go shop for an xmas tree? SPIKE SCARLATTI THAT IS THE DUMBEST IDEA IVE EVER HEARD!! honestly, how old are u???_

_fine. be a scrooge while the rest of us have fun_

_i will, and i'll keep my job while im at it!_

_come on jules, it might be fun! we need a tree for the rec room, and we all need to forget yesterday. sam and lou are here cuz they were too freaked out to go home and be alone all night. _

_o...are u all ok?_

_we'll all be a lot closer to ok if tomorrow goes well._

_ok, im in. but u had better not screw up. if u get Sarge mad at u, Operation Mistletoe might not go so well._

_eeek. i forgot about that._

_ur so screwed ;)_

_just come to HQ at 10 am_

_thats in 5 hours from now :( im gonna go back to sleep now. give sam and lou my love._

_thanks, see ya soon! _

Jules turned her phone off and slipped it under her pillow. Despite yesterday's events, she couldn't stop smiling. Whether it was the thought of her three best guy friends in chillin' in Spike's basement, or excitement for Christmas tree shopping, but whatever it was, it felt good to be happy again. As she drifted off to sleep again, her last thought was, Leave it to Spike tokidnap someone for Christmas tree shopping.

_Will you ask for a little  
Will you ask for a lot  
And when you make your list  
Will there be something you forgot_

_How about peace on earth  
It can't be bought or sold  
How about peace this Christmas  
And someones hand to hold  
How about love in our hearts  
And hope for you and me  
How about peace on earth  
That's what Christmas should be_

Before going to Headquarters to help Spike kidnap poor unsuspecting Greg, Jules made a pit stop at Timmy's. It was 9:30 and she had half an hour to kill, so she sat in a booth and sipped her hot chocolate, still slightly tired from yesterday's situation, followed by 5 hours of sleep, half an hour of texting, and then 2 more hours of sleep. 7 hours of sleep really wasn't enough to forget the sight of an innocent child lying dead on the floor...or the heartstopping moment when her beloved and trusted mentor Greg had collapsed after being shot...

But the taste of the hot chocolate _was_ enough to push it to the back of her mind for now. After taking a long sip, she glanced out the window to observe the blowing snow and people hurrying to and from their vehicles. Then there was a sudden flash of electric blue in the white, followed by a shriek of sudden braking. Jules took another drink to hide her grin. Only one guy she knew drove his truck like an army tank. As Sam jumped out of his truck and hurried towards the doors of the building he spotted her and yelled "HI JULES!" as loud as he possibly could. She blushed, and the people at the table across from her chuckled. Seconds later, he crashed down beside her, shedding snow.

"You're getting snow in my hot chocolate." she greeted him, desperately trying to keep a straight face. "It's gonna be cold now."

Sam picked up the remains of the hot chocolate and drained the small mug in one gulp.

"Nope, still warm."

She tried to look pissed. It wasn't easy.

"Sorry, I'll...um...buy you another one." he laughed nervously, pulling out his wallet.

Jules finally laughed. She couldn't help it.

"Hey, it's ok. How 'bout you get a muffin and we can share it?"

"Ok, sounds pretty. I mean, you're pretty, I mean yummy, I mean the muffin sounds yummy, I mean-_damn_!"

Poor Sam looked embarassed out of his mind. He looked startled when Jules almost started crying with laughter. Now people were looking at them. She regained her composure and wiped her eyes.

"Sorry...it's just, you have no idea how much I needed that." she said as she leaned slightly closer to him.

"What, the muffin?"

She stared at him for a moment, then smiled and put her hand on top of his, and said "Yeah, the muffin."

For a few minuites, they sat together silently, staring out at the snow. But it wasn't an awkward silence, for once. It was...cozy.

"How are you doing?" Sam asked after a few moments.

"I'm fine." Jules answered bluntly.

"This isn't easy for any of us." he told her gently. "No one will think less of you for admitting you're not fine."

"I don't care about _me_." she answered, suddenly feeling cold. "I care about the family who lost their father, husband, brother, and son. I care about the parents who watched their nine-year-old get shot right before their eyes. I care about the people who are going to have the worst Christmases of their lives, because _we_ weren't good enough yesterday!". I have a family, friends, a job, money, and hope for the future, and the rest of the team does too! We have to stop asking each other if we're _fine_, and think about the people that aren't _fine_!"

There was another silence, but this time, it crackled with intensity as Jules glared at Sam, who tried nervously to meet her gaze. He had no idea such a simple question would cause her to flare up so angrily.

Sam had no idea what to say. Talking to Jules had always been so easy, he couldn't bear the thought of her thinking he was a selfish grinch who didn't care about other people! As he made a mental note to ask Spike if she was always this tense after a difficult situation, his phone beeped. He was recieving a text from Lou.

_hey,_ _get to HQ ASAP, sarge is here and we're almost ready to roll. spike is pumped, but im having my doubts. i dont think any of us are in the mood for xmas tree shopping..._

_copy that!! _

_k, see ya in a bit!_

"Time to go over to Headquarters and kindap our superior officer." Sam announced lightly. Jules snatched up the untouched chocolate chip muffin, and left the restaurant without looking at Sam once. So much for being cozy.

_Will you get all the things  
That you've been waiting for  
Snowfall and presents  
Choirs singing at your door  
This season will be perfect  
Like those picture postcards scenes  
But is that the anwser  
Is that what Christmas really means?_

Headquarters seemed cheery enough when Sam walked in. There was some gentle Christmas music playing in the background, and the decorations, including Sam's reindeer and sleigh, managed to look festive without looking creepy. It looked like an average break time in Team One's rec room. Greg was sitting at the table, doing paperwork as usual. Spike was standing by the coffee table, sipping hot chocolate and glancing around. Not suspicious at all... Lou was sitting at the other end of the table, reading the newspaper. Jules was casually reading over his shoulder, glancing at Spike every now and then.

Greg looked up as Sam approached.

"Another one coming in?" Greg asked, sounding slightly amused ."You know this is your day off, right?"

"Do _you_ know it's your day off?" Spike shot back.

Greg sighed, suddenly looking tired. "Look, Spike. There's other stuff you could be doing. You could be spending your time off with your family and friends. I don't do that stuff, so in my time off, this is what I do. I'm living my life here."

"I thought that's what we all came here to do." Lou chipped in with a smile. "Hanging out with our family and friends."

"Aww Lou." Jules said, giving him a hug. "That warmed the cockles of my heart."

"What is a cockle, anyway?"

"I don't even know. I just heard it in a Christmas movie."

Sam tried not to watch Jules and Lou laughing together. He caught Spike's eye.

"When are we going?" he mouthed, after making sure Greg wasn't watching.

Spike put up his finger in a "one minuite" sign. Then he turned to Greg.

"Hey, Boss, speaking of fuzzy Christmas feelings, how would you like us to take you out for lunch?"

"Spike, these reports are due in tomorrow. I don't have time."

"Make time." Jules answered, boldly snatching away Greg's folder and pen.

"Is that disrespect for your senior officer, Miss Callaghan?" Greg asked politely.

"It's for your own good." she replied feircely. "You need to get out of this station for a while."

"Fine! I give up." Greg raised his hands in defeat. "But I have to be back here in one hour."

Spike, Sam, Lou, and Jules exchanged a look behind their boss's back. Their mission would take a lot longer than one hour!

In the parking lot, Spike found his favourite SRU truck, known affectionately as "The Rolling Bomb." It had gotten its name in Spike's first year on the SRU. After helping at his first-ever hostage situation, he had went through a Tim Horton's drive-thru...and spilled coffee on the seat. The stain was still there. It was an irritable vehicle, often giving its drivers mechanical problems, but Spike could always seem to fix it. He claimed it loved him. Ed claimed it could blow up any day, and the SRU needed a replacement vehicle.

"Good morning, Lover." Spike said happily, patting the dashboard as he stepped in.

_Good morning, Spike. You look very handsome today. _the truck replied. (At least, in Spike's mind.)

"Thank you, Lover. So do you." Spike said happily as he carefully turned the radio on.

"Who are you talking to?" Jules asked as she climbed into the seat behind Spike.

"My lover. Who did you think?"

"Spike, your age has reached the double-digits. We can't be talking to cars anymore." Greg scolded gently.

"And what about Babycakes?" Sam teased. "You don't want a bomb-disarming robot mad at you."

Spike patted the steering wheel comfortingly and pretended to glare at them. Lou poked Spike hard in the shoulder.

"Lunch, man. Remember?"

"Lunch." Spike agreed.

"Timmy's, right?" said Greg.

"Yeah...Timmy's."

_Hopefully he'll settle for apple cider at the tree farm!_ Spike thought uneasily, beginning to wonder if kidnapping his superior officer was a good idea.

_How about peace on earth  
It can't be bought or sold  
How about peace this Christmas  
And someones hand to hold  
How about love in our hearts  
And hope for you and me  
How about peace on earth  
That's what Christmas should be_

"Spike, what Timmy's are you thinking of?" Greg asked angrily after being on the road for 30 minuites. "We've passed at least five, and we aren't even in Toronto anymore! Have you lost your mind?"

There were seven seconds (Jules counted) of silence then Spike blurted out miserably,

"We're going Christmas Tree shopping."

"Christmas Tree shopping." Greg repeated. "Michael Scarlatti, not only did you lie and manipulate me, you_ kidnapped _your senior officer and your boss."

Spike would have liked it better if he'd shouted. The calm dissapointment in his voice was unnerving.

"We were all in on it." Lou admitted.

"But it was my idea." Spike persisted. "I'm sorry, Sarge. We'll go back to Headquarters now. Someone call Ed and Wordy and tell them we're not coming." he added dejectedly.

"Wait a sec, Spike." Greg interrupted. "You know...our room could use a tree. And...I might have a few boxes of decorations at home that I won't be needing this year."

"Are you serious? You must be joking!" Spike yelled, punching the steering wheel in delight.

Greg rolled his eyes. "Negotiating 101, never lie to the subject."

Spike, Sam, Jules, and Lou slapped high-fives, almost causing Spike to go off the road. Greg groaned and knew he was going to regret this as Spike cranked the radio up to full blast and began singing along to Jingle Bells.

"This is already the best Christmas ever." Sam announced, smiling awkwardly at Jules. She looked away, but he could swear she was smiling too.

_  
What would you sacrifice  
What would you give away  
For the greatest gift of all  
On Christmas day_

They pulled The Rolling Bomb into the Christmas Tree farm at precisely 11:00, and instantly spotted Ed and Wordy's famillies waiting at the entrance, holding mugs of apple cider.

"You're late enough! Did you guys forget how to start the truck?" Ed fumed as Greg, Spike, Sam, Jules, and Lou joined the group.

"The traffic was heavy, and Sarge freaked out every time we passed a Timmy's." Jules explained.

"I was kidnapped by Mr. Scarlatti and his friends here." Greg added politely.

"And Spike almost put us in the ditch more than a few times." Lou grumbled.

"I can't watch the road and give you singing advice at the same time!" Spike moaned.

"Team One, immediate action!" Greg yelled to get their attention.

"What does that mean?" called Wordy's daughter Allie.

"It means it's time to go find some trees!" Wordy answered, taking her hand.

"How many do we have to find?" Clark inquired.

"One for the Lanes, one for the Wordsworths, and one-no, two for Headquarters!"

"Two at HQ? Is that really nescessary?" a certain bald sniper moaned.

"Yes, Ed. We need to use the rest of the decorations somewhere!" Greg replied reasonably.

"Last time I looked, we weren't the Strategic Tree Unit..." Ed grumbled.

"Well, today we can be." Greg said in his best negotiating voice.

Ed looked stunned that his boss would consent to such an immature idea.

"For once in your life Ed, try to have fun at something unecessarily! Life's too short to be so damn serious." Sophie Lane snapped at her husband.

Spike shot Sam a what-did-I-tell-you look. Sam bit his lip sympathetically. Judging by the stubborn expressions that both Ed and Sophie wore, it seemed that such arguments were familliar to both of them. Behind them, Clark Lane was walking with Wordy's daughters, listening to Allie list everything she wanted for Christmas. He seemed to be trying not to look at his parents.

Despite the Strategic Tree Unit's merry mission, a cold, uneasy feeling hung over the group. Prehaps it was memories of yesterday's situations, or the icy cold looks Sophie kept giving Ed. For Spike, it was worrying about Operation Mistletoe. For Sam, it was the fact that Jules was simply not talking to him.

But after everyone had bought a mug of hot apple cider, things seemed to go slightly back to normal, and the cold mood felt a little warmer.

Any stranger walking past would never guess that anything was amiss under the surface as they observed the Strategic Tree Unit. Spike, Sam, Lou, and Clark were standing behind a large tree, flinging snowballs at everyone within range. Wordy's three daughters were picking up fallen tree branches and planning on making the best wreath in the world. Jules, Shelley, and Sophie were sitting and chatting on a sled for pulling the trees. Ed, Greg, and Wordy were sipping their cider and planning how to discipline Spike, Sam, and Lou.

When the cider was gone, it was time to begin the much-anticipated Tree Hunt. The sled was heavier than expected, and it took Ed and Wordy's combined efforts to drag it through the rapidly deepening snow. The fact that Allie and Lainey Wordsworth kept jumping on and off didn't help much. Kady was barely old enough to walk, so she stayed sitting on the sleigh, laughing at her sister's antics and waving a pine branch.

Much to Ed's annoyance, Spike, Sam, and Lou had not ceased fire. And the ammunition was hard-packed snow.

"Sarge, they're making the SRU look like a bunch of kids. If you won't talk to them, I will." he complained in an undertone.

"Don't call me Sarge today, Eddie." Greg sighed. "We're not the Strategic Response Unit today, we're just a bunch of friends out having some fun on a nice day."

"Grown men having a snow-war is your idea of fun? I expected better of all of them. Well, Spike and Lou anyway..."

"Don't be so hard on Sam. He's doing a great job."

"Yeah, his snowball aim is dead-on. He just sniped Lou's hat off while looking in the other direction. That's about the most amazing thing I've ever seen him do."

"You are really something, Ed." Greg muttered through gritted teeth. "You know that's not true."

"Whatever, Boss. But you don't see the rest of us playing in the snow."

"Give him some time, he hasn't seen winter in 8 years. Soon he'll hate snow just like the rest of us. Why are you even talking to me?" Greg changed the subject suddenly. "It's your day off, it's almost Christmas, and it's pretty self-explanatory who you should be spending this time with." he glanced meaningfully at Clark and Sophie.

"I couldn't agree more." Wordy interrupted from beside Ed.

"Kevin, were you eavesdropping?"

"You're a loud arguer, Ed. But don't worry, everyone's having too much fun to be listening to you. Just lighten up, eh?"

Ed was saved from answering by Allie and Lainey screaming that they'd found the best tree in the world.

"It's _this_ big!" shrieked Lainey, spreading her arms and jumping up and down.

"And it's even fatter than Santa Claus!" Allie added, clapping her hands.

The girls led the rest of the Strategic Tree Unit over to the best tree in the world. Their eyes started at the bottom and went allllllll the way up to the top. The thing was about as tall as Ed and Greg together, and the whole team could stand around it holding hands, and barely make a complete circle. It was a tree of supernatural proportions.

"How are we going to put the star on top?" was all Wordy could come up with.

"Speed, suprise, and agressive action?" Sam suggested.

"That's for drug busts, not tree trouble." Jules snorted. "For this kind of tree trouble, you're gonna need rappelling gear and fire truck ladders."

"Daddy, it's perfect!" Lainey squealed. "Can we pleeeeease get it?"

Wordy looked long and hard at the impossibly large tree.

"Whatever you girls want." he said at last. As his daughters hugged and hi-fived and tried to pick out a name for their new tree, Shelley kissed her husband on the cheek.

"I'll help you put the star on top." she promised lovingly.

As Wordy began to saw down the tree with Ed helping, Greg smiled in satisfaction.

"At least someone's day has been made, right guys?"

"One down, three to go." Jules noted.

_Whump! _ The Wordswoth's massive tree hit the ground. With some difficulty, Ed, Wordy, Sam, and Allie rolled the tree onto the sled. Kady crawled onto it and sat giggling and enjoying the piney fresh smell. Sam also took a sniff. Evergreen trees smelled even better than he remembered, especially since he hadn't smalled one in 8 years.

"When you're done getting high off the Christmas tree, we have three more to find." said Jules, flicking snow in his face.

"Ahhh, pine. Nature's drug." Spike sighed, pulling off a twig and holding it to his nose.

"Time for a drug bust, Buddy." said Wordy, confiscating the twig. "SRU officers can't go developing addictions."

"I think it's a bit too late for that." Greg added. "How many cups of coffee do we each drink in a week?"

"Enough that every employee in every Timmie's within 5 blocks of HQ knows my name and that I take cream and three sugars." Spike replied.

"_Three_ sugars?" Ed gasped.

"Oh yeah, and it's always size large-"

"This morning, me and my daddy and my mommy and Lainey and Kady were at Timmies, and I was having chocolate milk, only I didn't want chocolate milk cuz I wanted coffee, but my daddy said I couldn't have coffe cuz it'd make me too hyper, only then Ed and Sophie and Clark came in, and then my daddy started talking to them, and I put seven sugars in his coffee, and I drank five _big_ sips and my daddy didn't even notice and it didn't even make my hyper!" Allie burst out suddenly.

There was a shocked silence in which Spike gave Allie a hi-five. Then Lainey demanded to know why Allie had not shared the coffee with her. And Kady began yelling "Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!"

People started to stare. Until Sam gave them the finger, telling Allie, Lainey, Kady, and Clark not to try this at home.

Jules giggled. Wordy looked dissaproving. Spike laughed his ass off. Greg looked half-disgusted, half-amused. Lou arched his eyebrows and kicked snow at Spike (who was still laughing). Ed put his hand over his face and prayed he wouldn't see anyone he knew.

"Spike, why the hell are you laughing? You're only demonstrating you immaturity." Ed snapped from behind his hand.

"You're only demonstrating your immaturity." Spike mimicked in his best Ed voice.

And then _everyone_ laughed. Even Ed, and Allie, Lainey, and Kady even though they had no idea what they were laughing about. Maybe it was because Spike had imitated Ed's voice perfectly, or because the sugar from the apple cider (or in Allie's case, coffee) or because they just needed something to laugh at. But whatever reason, it wasn't just Spike's immaturity that as being demonstrated, it was warm, pure, genuine Christmas Spirit.

_How about peace on earth  
It can't be bought or sold  
How about peace this Christmas  
And someones hand to hold  
How about love in our hearts  
And hope for you and me  
How about peace on earth  
How about peace on earth  
That's what Christmas should be_

_

* * *

_Hopefully that wasn't too long. Until next update (which should be this week.) peace out and make sure you update too!

**PS- Many of you are probably thinking the same thing, but I'm planning on writing a oneshot about Sam's POV on the events of Episode 13..if you've seen it you know what i mean!! That will be up when I get the time.**

--------  
*Roxxy,  
How do you stay so fresh?  
I think cool thoughts.  
--------


	5. Ed Lane Encounters the Fireplace Channel

This is a mini-chap, I'm afraid. It was inspired by what I was watching on TV as I wrote this! Another longer chap will be up within the week!

* * *

December 18 - _1 week till Christmas!_

"I don't even remember the last time we had a tree at Headquarters." Greg said thoughtfully as he opened a huge box of decorations he'd brought from home. He hadn't opened it in 9 years.

"I don't even remember the last time I decorated a tree!" Sam added.

"You poor, deprived kid." Jules said from behind another unopened box.

"There aren't exactly any tree farms in the desert, especially when you move to another army base every few weeks."

"So, you're a poor deprived desert nomad kid?" Spike chipped in.

"I guess you could say that."

"I've had enough decorating to last me a lifetime." Wordy announced. Me and Shel stayed up till 11 decorating that monster tree last night. The girls fell asleep after a few branches. How did your decorating go, Eddie?"

"Well I got a _normal_ sized tree, so it only took about an hour. But apparently one hour is enough time for Clark to play every Christmas song in existence on his cello. And they're still stuck in my head."

"Would you rather listen to Barbie's Christmas Party non-stop? Lainey's earbuds are broken, so now she's taken over my iPod stereo. It was cute the first time, but now it's starting to sound more demonic than anything."

"How about just lock up all the kids in the world together so they can drive each other crazy till Christmas is over."

"How about you relax and check out the Rock N Roll Christmas Concert on TV." Wordy laughed, picking up the remote and flicking through the channels. News, news, cheesy Christmas movie, news, cartoons, news, soap opera, Muppets Christmas Carol, fireplace channel, news-

"Whoa, go back!" Sam yelled suddenly.

"We're not watching the Muppets." Ed said irritably, taking over the remote.

Sam wrestled the remore from Ed's grasp, then punched the buttons furiously...until he arrived at the fireplace channel. Then he slowly sat down on a chair, his eyes fixed on the flickering screen.

"Forget it. I refuse to watch a log burn for three hours. This channel is designed to keep old people entertained for hours so workers in nursing homes have less to do."

"I don't know...It's kind of relaxing." said Greg.

"Yeah, it reminds me of the fireplace we had when I was growing up." Jules smiled as she sat down beside Sam. "Except, you know, mine was real."

"I loved this thing when I was a kid!" Spike said enthusiastically. "During the season, when my parents wanted a break, they just turned this sucker on and I was occupied for up to five hours at a time!"

"I bet they can still do that." Ed snorted.

"Me and Shel try to watch it a bit every year, but then the girls decide they'd rather watch Dora the Explorer. The log is actually pretty nice once you get into it." Wordy contributed.

"What is there to get into?" Ed demanded to know. But no one answered. So Ed settled for grabbing a coffee, sitting down, and looking peeved.

Team One sat in silence for exactly 30 minuites. Ed contemplated going to the weight room, or the shooting range, but couldn't convince anyone to join him. So he remained looking peeved, until another 30 minuites passed, then he couldn't take it anymore.

"Can we please go back to decorating the tree?" he begged. Then, the clock struck 12, and the fireplace suddenly dissapeared, and a Tim Horton's commercial filled the screen.

"What the hell?" Sam yelped, startled by the sudden dissapearance.

"Nobody panic." Greg ordered. "We'll just...find it on another channel." he grabbed the remote to hide the face that his hands were shaking. He began going through channels again.

"Hurry up!" Jules called, sounding tense.

"No...more...fireplace." Ed groaned, covering his face with his hands.

"Fireplace! Fireplace! Fireplace!" Sam, Spike, and Lou chanted.

Suddenly, a 50-foot tall, brightly coloured, intensely decorated outdoor Christmas tree appeared onscreen, accompanied by soft, classical Christmas music.

"What is this supposed to be?" Spike scoffed. "We want the fireplace!"

The filming of the tree kept changing angles, showing a far-off shot, then zooming in on the lights and decorations, then zooming out, then zooming back in on a different angle.

"Stop moving!" Sam yelled furiously at the TV. All he got was an extreme close-up on the bright blue star at the top.

"What's the deal with the background music?" Lou added with disgust. "It's almost distracting as the ridiculous lights."

Everyone had a complaint about the Christmas Tree Channel.

Except for Ed. He just stared at it, mesmerized.

* * *

Muaha. I personally liked both channels, but Christmas beauty is in the eye of the TV-watcher...

--------  
*Roxxy,  
How do you stay so fresh?  
I think cool thoughts.  
--------


	6. Christmas Memories

***OKAY so i thought i posted this on Friday and all weekend i was wondering why no one had reviewed so i checked on it and it seemed i didn't post it afterall. sorry for the wait and the next chap is in the works!!!!!Well I got my computer problems sorted out much sooner than I expected, so I'm merry today! I started this chapter last night and just finished it. Normally I spend more time on chapters, but I desperately want to finish this in time for Christmas.

*****

Thanks to **Lochlyn** and **Justicerocks** for reviewing! Love you both!

I don't own Flashpoint, _The Santa Clause 1 or 2, Rudolph, Frosty, Elf, _or anything else I mention.

The song is I Heard Santa On The Radio by Hilary Duff who I do not own. I don't like her AT ALL but I listen to her Christmas songs at Christmas...I'm weird.

* * *

December 22

_On Christmas morning you woke up_

_To static on the radio_

_Someone must have turned it on_

_Who, You didn't know_

"Jules, you know my rule about watching movies on the briefing room TV." Greg Parker greeted Jules as he walked into the room.

"Sorry Sarge." Juled replied lightly, not taking him too seriously.

"Out of curiosity, what's on today?"

"It's a Christmas movie marathon. 24 hours solid of Christmas movies, just starting now. Sounds like a party, huh?"

"Indeed. Team 1 doesn't have to be at HQ till noon today, didn't you know that?"

"Yeah, I knew. It's just...I don't like watching movies alone at my house. It gets lonely, you know?"

"I know." Greg sighed. He _did_ know. Better than anyone. His house wasn't home. Headquarters was home.

"So what are we watching?" he asked with a smile, sitting down beside her.

"_The Santa Clause_, the first one. The second one is on after that."

"My wife loved those movies." Greg said softly, more to himself than Jules.

Jules patted his shoulder, but didn't answer as she turned up the volume.

_You got up slowly sleepy eyed_

_To a tune that stationed in_

_Turned the dial a little while_

_Then a voice said_

_Let the party begin_

_  
_Halfway through _The Santa Clause 2_, Sam, Lou, and Spike showed up. They just happened to have an extra large box of Timbits, in which all four indulged. Ed and Wordy arrived just in time to watch the ending. Sam had had very little experience with Christmas movies in his life on Army bases, but thoroughly enjoyed _The Santa Clause 2 _and decided to dowload it onto his iPod. Spike had seen it already, and kept yelling what would happen next. At the end, he cheered loudly, accidentaly knocking over Greg's coffee.

"Usually it's me knocking stuff over." Sam said, sounding amazed. Spike flung a Timbit at his head.

"What's on next?" Lou asked eagerly. So far, they hadn't gotten any calls. It was a rare peaceful day in Toronro.

Jules pressed a few buttons on the remote, and perky music began to play and animated snowflakes danced across the screen.

"_Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_." Wordy noted. "I just watched this last night with the girls. Pretty intense."

"I haven't watched it since I was nine." Jules said quietly.

"That makes sense." Ed stated.

"I watched it every year with my mom." Jules continued. "My dad and brothers thought it was a dumb kid's movie, but me and Mom loved it, we'd always sing along with the song at the end. I haven't watched it since the year she died. I was nine. Some years I try to watch it if it's on TV, but it's too hard..." her voice broke and there were tears in her eyes.

Sam moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked softly. "I complain to you every time my dad phones me, you could have told me about that."

"You never asked." she answered him flatly. Sam bit his lip nervously. He had never been good in emotional situations.

"I remember the first time I watched this movie." Lou added reminiscently to break the silence. "I was six, and home alone because my parents were in the hospital having my baby sister. I really didn't want a sister, so watching the movie was the only part of that week I liked. The Christmas after that, I tried to watch it with her, but she kept throwing a spoon at the TV. But that was the happiest my family ever was, so it was my favourite Christmas."

_Hey hey hey_

_and_

_Ho ho ho_

_and_

_Now its time_

_For the jolly DJ show_

"I know when my favourite Christmas was." said Wordy. "It was the year me and Shel got married, our first Christmas together. On Christmas morning we were sitting by the tree, eating home-made cookies and listening to the Dixie Chicks CD she gave me. Shut up, Ed, there's nothing wrong with country music! And then she told me she was pregant. That was one of the happiest moments in my life. Nine months later, out came Allie, and Baby Einstein replaced the Dixie Chicks, and we forgot what it meant to sit quietly under the tree. Every Christmas gets better and better, but that's the one I remember the most."

"I have a story too." Ed added. "Clark was four. He tried to climb the Christmas tree. Enough said."

Greg sighed reminiscently. "That was the year I stayed at your house over Christmas, right? And he broke something important?"

"Umm, yeah, that ugly 300$ Swarovski crystal tree ornament Sophie's mom gave us. Smashed it into exactly 37 little bits. Soph made my glue it back together, so i know."

"No, I mean he broke a bone, didn't he?"

"Oh yeah, his right middle finger got bent pretty bad. Thank God they were able to fix it so he can still flip people off."

"So who's next in our little Christmas story sharing circle?" Spike grinned merrily as Wordy jokingly began to lecture Ed on proper children's manners.

_I heard Santa on the radio_

_I knew it was Santa on the raido_

_Mixing up the music like a Santa should_

_And radio_

_Never sounded so good_

"I think it's your turn, Scarlatti." Sam shot back.

"Alrighty then. Let me think..." Spike scanned his Christmas memories, but came up empty-handed. He frowned. Surely him of all people had an entertaining Christmas experience in the past! But every Christmas of his life had been the same: wake up aroud 4am, jump on his parent's bed till they permitted him to open his stocking, then he returned to his room until 7am where he amused himself with the contents of his stockings before unleashing his festive wrath upon what lay under the tree. This routine continued until he was old enough to prefer sleeping in over waking up at 4am. Every year some relatives came over for dinner. Spike would always plant a few whoopie cushions or slip some wine into his little cousin's juice, but other than that...

"I've got nothing!" he groaned in dissapointment. He'd loved Christmas as a kid. It had never occurred to him that every year had been the same!

"After very dissapointing results from Mr. Scarlatti, we'll move on to Samtastic over here." Jules smiled, punching Sam's arm.

_He was busy findin bustin' beats_

_Makin it up as he went along_

_Hip hop, rock, electronica_

_St. Nick could do no wrong_

_Turnin the rythm inside out_

_Till the people shook the house_

_Pretty soon every creature was dancing_

_Every boy and girl and every mouse_

Sam knew exactly what Christmas memory was most important to him, and he remembered it like it was yesterday.

"Okay, so this was when I was 7." he began. "They year before, me and my parents spent Christmas at this supposedly safe Army base, but a bomb was dropped right beside us on Christmas morning. A bunch of guys died, so all in all, it wasn't such a great Christmas. So the next year, to make up for it, my dad checked us in to this huge fancy hotel in Toronto on Christmas Eve. We were meeting up with an old friend of his who also had a wife and a son my age. We had a 3-bedroom suite. A room for my parents, a room for his parents, and a room for me and Matt. We each had a king-sized bed to ourselves, but I was pissed at spending Christmas with this kid, because when they introduced is, the first thing he did was smash my favourite toy helicopter. As I was freaking out, he pulled this giant candy cane out of his backpack, and that got me even madder, cuz I thought he wasn't going to share-"

"Are you sure that wasn't me you met?" Spike interrupted. "That sounds like something I'd do."

"I know it wasn't you, Spike." Sam laughed. "Cuz he said sorry and gave me half. You wouldn't do that. I forgot the helicopter, and we were best friends from that moment on. So while our parents were catching up, we played with toy trucks for a bit. Then we got bored and Matt decided we should sneak out of the room. Once we were free, the first thing we did was ride the elevator downstairs. Once we were on the ground floor, we ran all the way to the very top floor, anf found this huge excersise room. We hung out in there till I almost got crushed by a weight, then we got in the elevator, pressed every single button-"

"Just like Buddy the Elf!" Spike interrupted again. "That movie is freakin' sweet."

"Yeah, I have it on DVD." Sam agreed. He had seen very few Christmas movies, but _Elf_ was his favourite. "So it took about an hour to get all the way back downstairs, but we screamed Christmas songs and made faces at the security camera the whole ride. Strangely, nobody else got in with us. When we got to the ground floor, we ran up the stairs again till we got to the floor with the pool on it. We spent, like, two hours in there. I didn't really swim, desert kid, you know? Matt did a bunch of flips off the diving board that almost broke his neck while I floated on a foam thing and drank eight cans of cream soda. The fifth time I spilled some in the pool, management kicked us out. The we roamed back to the ground floor, took our shoes off and slid up and down the hall in our socks. Someone knocked an old lady down, but I don't remember who did it...I think it was me. When management kicked us out of the hallway, we went back to the lobby and took up two whole leather couches. I guess we fell alseep eventually. Our parents finally noticed we were gone, and sent half the hotel staff on a crazy child-hunt. Next thing we knew, it was 6am on Christmas morning. We spent almost the whole day in the hotel room with our parents, opening presents and watching Christmas movies. We didn't do anything special, our parents just relaxed while me and Matt played with our presents. It was the happiest I ever felt..."

Sam couldn't think of anything more to say. The memory had brought joy to him at every Christmas, but today Sam only felt emptiness. Matt wasn't around this year...

The sudden warmth of Jules's hand closing around his brought his thoughts back to earth.

"That's cute, Sam." she smiled as laughter sparkled in her eyes. She had no idea that Matt's life had ended. Or _how_ it ended... Ed knew, so Greg probably did too.

"That's a great memory, Sam." Greg said quietly. "It means a lot to you, right?"

"Yeah..." Sam managed to answer. _More than you know._

_  
All the music comes together_

_All the people just let go_

_When all the world is listenin' to the jolly DJ show_

_Hey hey hey_

_and_

_Ho ho ho_

_  
_"So, who's next on the hit list?" Spike called.

"Hey Boss, I don't think we've heard from you." Lou added.

"Let's see...my favourite Christmas...Well, that would definitely be 11 years ago. Dean would have been 7. This was before me and Kate were fighting..." Greg began awkwardly. "On Christmas Eve, there was this huge storm, and the power went out in almost half the city. We couldn't make cookies, turn on the tree lights, or watch movies. We were sitting around a portable heater tryint to keep warm when Dean decided we should go play in the snow. Kate and I humoured him, even though we were freezing. But it turned out that an hour in the snow was the best gift I could have ever gotten. We built a fort and a whole snowman army, and forgot about everything but us. When we got tired, we just lay down in the snow and sang _Jingle Bells_ fifteen times in a row. By the time we got cold enough to go inside, the power was back on. We made hot chocolate and let Dean have as much whipped cream as he wanted, then we watched Frosty the Snowman. That was our last happy Christmas. By the next year, Kate and I were fighting constantly. We didn't even have a tree. By the Christmas after that, Kate and Dean were long gone." he finished, and an air of cold silence hung over the room like frost.

Spike could think only of Operation Mistletoe. Regret and apprehension were not feelings that he was familliar with, but he was getting to know them now. He tried to catch Sam's eye for some moral support, but the blond sniper was staring absently out the window at the falling snow.

_I heard Santa on the radio_

_I knew it was Santa on the radio_

_Mixing up the music like a Santa should_

_And radio_

_Never sounded so good_

_

* * *

_

Hopefully you enjoyed that painfully rushed chapter... it wasn't one of my best. But you know, review anyway :) I'm hoping to get another chap. done soon, cuz it looks like I might finally have a free weekend! If I'm un-hyper enough to think straight...cuz theres a new kid at my school...and he looks a lot like Sam...and his name is Sam!!! *drools* I always thought he looked like a Sam...Then my friend was like "oh yeah, that's Sam" and I was like HOLY SHIT. None of my friends like Flashpoint...nobody understands me...*cries in a corner* Jk im too busy doing Christmas stuff to cry in a corner...

I shall shut up now.

--------  
*Roxxy,  
How do you stay so fresh?  
I think cool thoughts.  
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	7. My Christmas List

ONE WEEK BABY!!!! I'm one of those people who loses their minds over Christmas... I asked for David Paetkau so I'm pretty sure that's what I'll be getting. No, Im being deadly serious.

I wish.

Thanks to **Justicerocks** for sending a really long review! (and I'm still waiting for her Christmas story...)

I don't own My Christmas List by Simple Plan (Im not an SP fan, honestly, they're whiners...but i like this sing, obviously because it's Christmasy...) I dont own the Eaton Center but I have been there only once:(, sweet place, especially around Christmas! And I don't own Westjet Airlines...but I wish I did, then I could buy rights to Flashpoint...

_

* * *

Santa is coming tonight_

_And I want a car, and I want a life_

_And I want a first class trip to Hawaii_

_I want a lifetime supply_

_Of skittles & slurpees and Eskimo pies_

_I want a DVD,_

_A big screen TV_

_Just bring me things that I don't need_

_During a commercial break, Christmas Movie Marathon, December 22nd: _

Team One rummaged through an old box of decorations that Lou had found hiding in the back of a basement storage room at HQ.

"Wow, this is some sweet stuff." Jules commented as she observed a tiny wooden Santa-style sleigh. "Wonder who owns it?"

"We had a decorating contest here a few years before you joined the force. Team Two brought a whole bunch of stuff and just left it lying in the basement, so it's probablt theirs."

_"Team Two." _everyone growled under their breaths. Team One hated Team Two for reasons unknown.

"I wonder if they want it back?" Wordy wondered. "Lainey would really like this." he added, picking up a little pink reindeer ornament.

"Any more of those?" Sam asked, eyeing the reindeer. "I need a present for my mom and that's just her type of thing."

"Braddock, give _this_ to your mom." Spike snickered, holding up what appeared to be a small statue of Santa and Mrs. Claus making out beneath the mistletoe.

"Okay." said Sam, reaching for the statue.

"I was kidding, idiot!" said Spike, holding it out of Sam's reach. "This is no gift for your poor mother!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sam sighed. "It's sorta tacky."

"Besides, I want it for _my_ mom." Spike muttered under his breath, stowing the statue in his bag.

"What the heck is this thing?" Ed said in alarm as he pulled out an atrociously large Christmas tree ornament, most likely a star. Its points were about a foot long each, and when Ed accidentaly pushed the button on the back, it was revealed that it flashed red, green and blue.

"We might as well put it on the tree in the briefing room." said Lou. "There's nothing on the top yet."

"Okay, but first, it needs a name."

"Spike, how old are you? _Be honest_." Ed scoffed.

"But come on, you don't find a...a..what is it exactly?"

"Star?" Sam suggested.

"I thought it looked more like wings of some sort."

"it could be an artist's representation of an explosion, who knows, it came from Team Two."

_"Team Two..."_

"What's wrong with Team Two?" Sam asked.

_"Rookie..."_

"So what are we calling this thing?" Spike interjected.

"Um...well, it's flashy." Sam observed.

"And it's pointy." Lou added as he accidentaly jabbed his finger too hard against the longest point.

"We could call it the Pointflash."

"Nah."

"The Pointyflash?"

"Ick."

"The Flashypoint?"

"Um, can you say _tacky_?"

Spike was all out of ideas for a moment, until he yelled in triumph:

"I've got it! We'll call it...The Flashpoint!"

"Okay."

"That works."

"Whatever."

"Spike, it's a tree thing, not a goldfish. It doesn't need a name."

But Ed was too late. Spike was already gently writing "Flashpoint" on the back of the thing in permanent marker.

_It's Christmas and I want everything_

_I just can't wait_

_It's Christmas and I want everything now_

"Have a good few days off, and I'll see you on Christmas Eve!" Greg Parker called to Spike, Sam, and Jules as he left Team One's briefing room at 11pm after a full day of (to Ed's horror) watching random Christmas movies on TV. (Hey, it wasn't their fault they didn't get any hot calls.)

"Bye, Sarge!" called the three younger officers in unison. Spike was pleased. He'd gotten through 3 months without Greg suspecting anything about Operation Mistletoe. Now all he had to do was lay low till he and Sam picked Kate and Dean up at the airport at precisely 7:14 pm on the 23rd. With a funny jolt he realised that it was tomorrow.

"Getting excited about Operation Mistletoe, Spike?" Sam asked sneakily after Greg was safely out of earshot.

"Can't wait." he grinned in an attempt to be perky and confident.

"Than why do you look so nervous?" Jules shot back.

""I'm not nervous, I'm deep in thought."

"About what, how hard it'll be to find a job after you get fired from the SRU?"

"Don't scare him, Sam. He won't get fired. He'll just have to pay a huge fine."

"Nice try. But they can't fine us for what goes on in my personal life."

"But this is _Greg's_ personal life."

"I'm just going to stop talking to you." Spike mutterered, picking up the TV remote.

"So, who's coming with me to the airport?" he asked two minuites later.

"Not me." Sam and Jules said at the same time. Spike looked terrified.

"But Sarge's love life is at stake here!" he begged. "If I screw up, I need someone to carry on and make sure she doesn't turn around and fly home!"

"Relax, buddy." Sam laughed. "We're kidding, right Jules?"

"Actually, I was being dead serious. This is a ridiculous idea."

"Guess it's just you and me, Samtastic." Spike concluded happily, giving Sam a hi-five.

"Well, you two have fun with that. I'm heading home." said Jules, trying not to laugh as she picked up her paperwork and started to leave.

"Wait, Jules!" Sam called on an impulse.

"Yeah?" she turned around, a smile playing on her lips.

"Bye!" he told her awkwardly after being unable to think up something more creative at such short notice.

"Bye Sam." she replied, not bothering to hide her smile.

Spike managed to maintain a straight face until she was out of earshot, then he broke down laughing.

"Was it that bad?" Sam groaned.

"Brother, I pity you." Spike snorted.

As Spike laughed himself stupid at Sam's perdicament. (Even though it wasn't even remotely funny. To Sam, anyway) Sam stared at Team One's Christmas tree, all sparkly and bright. There were a few gifts underneath...

_Gifts._

"Gifts!" Sam yelled suddenly.

"Wonderful things, those." Spike commented disinterestedly.

"Spike, what are you doing tomorrow?"

Huh? Oh. I know it's hard not to fall in love with someone as explosively gifted as myself, but the thing is, I'm sorta busy, like, for a long time-"

"I need you to help me pick out a gift for Jules, you jackass!" Sam yelled in fake fury, punching Spike's shoulder.

"Oh yeah, I'm free. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I have no idea where to get one, but here's what I was thinking..."

_Somebody take me away_

_Or give me a time machine_

_To take me straight to midnight_

_I'll be alright_

_I want a girl in my bed_

_Who knows what to do_

_A PlayStation 2_

_I want a shopping spree_

_In New York City_

_Just bring me things that I don't need_

December 23rd: 7am

Who knows how, but Spike had located the perfect gift for Jules on the internet in about 2 minuites. He and Sam had driven all the way to the other side of Toronto to pick it up and now it was safely locked in the back of his truck. They'd woken at 5am, not knowing how long it would take to drive across town, and now they were half-sitting, half-lying in a booth at their favourite Tim Horton's. No one would have suspected they were a professional sniper and a bomb expert.

"Remind me why we woke up 5 hours after midnight." Sam mumbled, half-asleep, from behind his huge mocha.

"Can't be late for Kate and Dean." Spike answered with equal sleepiness from behind his Xtra-large coffee, loaded with 6 sugars, instead of the usual 3. But it seemed they hadn't kicked in yet.

"That's in 12 hours from now."

"When I get enough energy to un-stick my head from the table, I'm going to go home and lie on the couch till my mom makes lunch." Spike added with his eyes closed.

"No you're not. You're coming to the mall with me to get something for Jules."

"We just got that taken care of, hence the reason we're lying here with our heads on a table that might not have been disinfected."

"The thing we got her is perfect but I want to get her something more personal, too."

"Instead of getting two gifts for Jules, how bout you get one gift for Jules and one gift for Spike?" Spike replied.

"I'll give you a hug. That's priceless."

Spike's yawn muffled his reply of "Jackass."

Despite the protests of their sleep-deprived and caffeine-shot brains, Sam and Spike found themselves cruising through The Eaton Center 20 minuites after un-sticking their faces from the Timmy's table (which a custodian claimed had _probably_ been thoroughly disinfected, and was also impressed at their ability to have such a deep conversation in apparent sleep.)

To Sam's disapointment, Spike was stumped. Jules wasn't very materialistic, and she had everything she needed. Spike suggested a Home Depot gift card or some Air Miles, but Sam didn't think that was very personal. However, the trip wasn't a total waste. While Spike was occupied by examining an iPhone, Sam bought him a t-shirt saying "I am a bomb technician. If you see me running, try to keep up." They found a spill-proof coffee mug for Ed, and decided it would be so useful, they bough one for everyone on Team One and had them personalized with their recievers's name.

Sam had pretty much given up hope that he would find a perfect and personal gift for Jules when he and Spike reached their final stop, a small jewellery store near the exit. As Spike searched for a necklace for his mom, Sam relaxed, not expecting to find anything Jules would like, as she wasn't into jewellery. But he figured he should at least make an effort to find something for his own mother, so he glanced into one of the glass cases full of little charms in various shapes. A heart, a fish, an elephant, a shoe, some random shapeless thing, a cat-

He glanced back at the shapeless thing. He had to restrain himself from jumping for joy and knocking something over as he realised that it was not a random shapeless thing- it was a little sniper rifle! Now_ that _was something worthy of Jules.

**

December 23rd, 6:45pm

"Airport coffee is icky." Sam complained as he sipped greyish foam from a paper cup. "Where's a Timmy's when you need one?"

"Try over there, buddy." Spike replied tensely as he pointed to a nearby Tim Horton's that Sam had clearly missed.

Sam said an adults-only word, tossed his crappy cup in the garbage, and made a dash for Timmy's. Spike didn't follow. Coffee was the last thing he needed. Kate and Dean would be landing any minuite and Spike was really starting to regret planning this whole deal.

Sam took awhile standing in line at Timmy's, apparently everyone else was thinking the same thing as he was...Timmy's coffee or nothing! By the time he escaped clutching his hot delicious double-double, it was 7pm, and Spike had news: Kate and Dean's plane had just arrived several minuites early.

"There it is." Spike announced nervously pointing to a huge Westjet, straight from Dallas, Texas. "Why the hell id I do this?" he moaned, rubbing his head in an uncharactersistic display of nerves.

"_They're_ why." Sam said softly. Spike looked up and his jaw dropped. After 9 years, Kate and Dean were officially back to Toronto.

_I wish I could take this day_

_And make it last forever_

_And no matter what I get tonight_

_I want more_

There was no mistaking that Dean was Greg's son. Their dark, handsome eyes were identical, and they walked the same. Kate was very attractive without being overly glamorous. She had rich dark brown hair and green eyes, and beneath her bulky winter coat, a very nice figure. Sam kicked Spike's foot to bring him back to reality, and they walked over to introduce themselves.

"Kate Parker? Nice to meet you, I'm-"

"Spike." she interrupted, smiling. "I could just tell. And this can't be Ed or Wordy..."

"Nope, this is our pet rookie, Mr. Sam Braddock."

"Hey." Sam greeted, shaking hands with Kate, then Dean. He realised Dean had a firm but gentle grip-just like his dad.

The four made small talk as they walked back to the luggage pickup station and to Spike's truck. No one mentioned Greg, or the dinner that would take place tomorrow night. The conversation flowed right up until they dropped Kate and Dean off at the Marriott hotel.

"Now just to be clear," Kate said in a low voice as she pulled her suitcase out of the truck. "I didn't come here to get back together with Greg. I came to visit the city, give him a chance, and see if he's changed. Then I'll see what happens from there."

"Copy that." said Spike.

"Hey, Kate," Sam called before she went through the revolving door of the hotel. "Listen, I've known Greg the shortest out of almost anyone. But I know that if it wasn't for you being living proof, I never would have believed that he was ever any different from the way he is now."

She looked long and hard at Sam, who backed away nervously.

"Not that it's any of my business." he added nervously.

To his relief, her face broke into a smile.

"Thanks, Sam. I'll keep that in mind."

When she and Dean dissapeared into the hotel, Sam and Spike slapped a hi-five so hard it stung all the way to Tim Horton's.

_Christmas_

_And I want everything_

_I just can't wait_

_Christmas_

_So don't stop spending, I_

_Want a million gifts,_

_That's right_

_And I can't wait 'til midnight_

_Don't forget my Christmas list tonight_

_'Cuz now it's Christmas_

_

* * *

_Look at that little review button, all cute and green (green? when the hell did it become green? when I was your age, the review button was periwinkle...)_ Anyway, _Review me :)

--------  
*Roxxy,  
How do you stay so fresh?  
I think cool thoughts.  
--------


	8. Where Are You Christmas

4 Days, baby!! Suprised I could focus enough to write this, but it wasn't overly late so it's all good! It's slightly short but that's not necessarily a bad thing...

This chap is for** Justicerocks**!!!!

I don't own the song, Faith Hill's _Where Are You Christmas_

_

* * *

Where are you Christmas_

_Why can't I find you_

_Why have you gone away_

_Where is the laughter_

_You used to bring me_

_Why can't I hear music play_

December 24th: Christmas Eve, 7am

Sam couldn't take it anymore. His house's lack of heat was infuriating and freezing. He didn't have own enough blankets or sweaters to keep warm to his satisfaction, and he had better things to do than shop for such things. But the temperature had dropped so low that there was nothing to do other than suck it up solve the problem like a man:

"Hey Jules, do you know how to fix a heater?"

"It's 7am....on Christmas Eve! Why the hell are you calling me?"

"Cuz I can't feel my toes? And I think I might have hyopthermia."

"So call a professional."

"I don't have that kind of time! You do homey stuff all the time, you at least know more than me."

"Fine. I'll be there in half an hour. And after I fix your heat, I'm gonna shove your fat head in a snowbank."

"Are you always so sweet at 7am?"

"You haven't seen anything yet, Braddock."

_Click._

As she hung up, Sam felt a little bit less cold. He got dressed in about 30 seconds, carefully selecting his new jeans and his blue Abercrombie sweater (which, according to his mom, brought out his eyes.) Then he went downstairs to feast on some toast and mint gum, and of course, wait for Jules to arrive...

He stared out the window for exactly 25 minuites when she finally pulled up at 7:30 sharp. Instead of blasting outside to welcome her, he managed to keep his composure and allow her to knock on the door first, so he didn't seem over-eager. But it was hard. The sight of her walking through the gently falling snow set his heart on fire.

"Wow, Sam, how long has your house been this cold?" she complained as she took her boots off.

" It worked all through the spring and summer, but it sorta died in October sometime."

"You used your heater in the _summer_?"

"Desert kid, remember?"

"Big sucker, more like. Okay, where's your heater control box?"

"The thing with buttons and a metal cover?"

"That would be it."

"Right over there."

"Okay..." She popped the cover and took off the top panel to reveal a complicated-looking maze of colourful wires. "Does any of this make sense to you?"

Sam looked completely bamboozled, which said it all.

"Okay, I think have a screwed-up fuse. It looks like it got knocked out of its socket." she turned around to look at him properly. "Has anything large or heavy banged into this thing lately?"

Sam thought for a second. Come to think of it, sometime in October, Spike had been over hanging out, and they were watching a hockey game. Spike had eventually fallen asleep on the couch, but at one point he'd sleep-walked...right into the wall. His head had made a metallic clang, so Sam presumed he must have banged into the heat control box. He told Jules so.

"That guy needs a leash." she muttered under her breath as she adjusted a wire. "There we go."

Suddenly, a blast of heat issued from the vent in the wall. Sam's numb toes rejoiced.

"How did you know how to fix that?" he asked in awe.

"When you spend your life renovating your house, you pick things up." she answered with a smile. "So I guess I'll be on my way. I'll send you a bill for my work here."

_Don't go! _Sam yelled inwardly. What could he say to make her stay?

"I, um, coffee!" he called desperately as she began to put her boots on.

"Coffee?"

"Would you like some?' he added smoothly.

"Well..." she sighed, looking at her watch for a long time. "I _guess_ I can fit some coffee into my schedule."

"It's Christmas Eve." Sam laughed. "What have you got to do?"

"We have our Team One annual Christmas dinner tonight. I need to pick out my outfit and decide which of my two ancient necklaces I should wear." she joked. 'That sweater brings out your eyes, by the way."

"You'd get along with my mom."

"Aww. Does you mom pick out your clothes?"

"Pretty much yeah. I'm not a shopper. I hate trying stuff on, but when I don't, I tend to get the wrong sizes."

"Well, all you have to do is look at the tags on the inside of the stuff you already own, and when you go to the store, pick out the same size on the tags."

"That sounds complicated. Im just gonna stick to being spoiled by my mommy."

Suddenly Sam realised that Jules was standing extremely close to him.

"Um, I'll get you your coffee." he mumbled, suddenly feeling nrevous. "You take one cream, no sugar."

"Yeah." she said, grinning. "How did you know?"

"I had to go on a Timmy's run on my very first call with you guys, remember?"

"And on your way down, you sent a live heart up to us and escalated the subject." she reminsiced. 'I remember."

"Good times."

They each got their coffees (one cream/no sugar for Jules and a double-double for Sam) sat down on the couch, and began to watch a Toronro Maple Leafs vs. Vancouver Canucks game.

As the Canucks scored a goal, a random kid with a sign over her head that read "Roxy" ran across the screen and screamed "David Paetkau is from Vancouver!! YAAAAY VANCOUVER!!!"

"Who the heck is David Paetkau?" Sam asked in puzzlement.

"Beats me." Jules shrugged.

The continued to watch their game.

_Where are you Christmas_

_Do you remember_

_The one you used to know_

_I'm not the same one_

_See what the time's done_

_Is that why you have let me go_

The game ended with a tiebreaking score from the Leafs.

"I'd better go. See you tonight!" said Jules as she started to get up.

"Wait, Jules." said Sam, suddenly feeling nervous again. "I have something for you."

"Something else to fix?"

Instinctively, Sam remembered that her wrapped gift was on the table beside the couch. He grabbed it and passed it to her.

"I don't know if it's your type of thing, but when I saw it I thought of you..."

"Aw Sammy, you didn't have to." she giggled as she unwrapped it. Inside, there was a tiny silk bag. She turned the bag on its end, and the tiny Sniper Rifle charm fell into her hand. She stared at it.

"If you don't like it I can always return-" But Sam never finished his sentence because in one white-hot second, her lips were pressed against his.

_Christmas is here_

_Everywhere, oh_

_Christmas is here_

_If you care, oh_

_If there is love in your heart and your mind_

_You will feel like Christmas all the time_

Time stopped as they kissed. It was perfect in its sudden, unplanned, explosive esscence. Like a meteor flying into the sun, or lighting touching the ocean, or an avalanche crashing down a diamond-silver mountainside. The feeling was so strong that surely everyone on earth was feeling a rush of power and heat that had nothing to do with Sam's newly fixed heater. Minuites, hours, or possibly days later, they broke apart.

"No wonder they call you Samtastic." Jules sighed happliy as wrapped her hand around his.

"I try my best." said Sam, trying to sound calm as his heart was beating at an unhealthy rate.

"You're shaking." she laughed, squeezing his hand. "Please don't tell me that was your first kiss."

"No, not even I'm that pathetic. But I must admit, I have relatively limited experience. When you're a desert kid, there's not much out there to kiss, other than like, rocks and sand."

"And your mom."

"Well, yeah."

"You're amazing." she blurted out suddenly. "It's been really hard not to get close to you."

"You were doing good up until now."

"I know...remember what I said a few months ago? That I didn't want to screw it up by getting personal, and It wasn't worth the risk?"

"I remember that. I swear, it was _just_ a burrito."

"I don't want to hurt the team, or lose my job, or screw up our friendship...but I can't keep myself from risking it any longer. Ever since the first time I saw you, I felt different, really deep down in a place in my heart I didn't even know I had."

"The first time you saw me, we were at opposite ends of a sniper rifle. "

"Sorry about that...you can never be too careful around you desert kids."

"The second you pointed that gun at me, I felt it too."

For a second their eyes locked together, ice blue and deep sparkling brown melted together.

"I should go." Jules eventually said, somewhat reluctantly. "My dad said he'd phone me around 12, and its 11:30. He always does on Christmas Eve, and if I don't answer he gets all pissy."

"Okay." Sam agreed, missing her already. "But wait five more minuites, I have another present for you."

"You didn't have to get me two things!" she complained, but a smile lit her face...and it lit Sam's heart on fire.

"It's out in my garage."

"Is it an army tank? Cuz I've always wanted to drive one."

"I wish. But you never know that my JTF2 buddies will send me, cuz they now have access to eBay. So don't give up hope. Come on, let's go outside."

*

"Enjoy!" Sam said happily as he pushed the open button on his garage door to reveal the sleek, shiny, extreme bobsledding-style sleigh sitting in the back of his truck.\

"Sam! Oh my-_wow_!" Jules gasped as she carefully examined the sled. "Hpw the hell did you know I wanted one of these?"

"You told me, back when I brought those reindeer to HQ."

"I don't even remember that." she said softly, slipping her arms around him and staring up into his eyes. "But I guess you did?"

"I remember everything."

Jules checked the time on her cell phone.

"I really have to get going. But after Christmas is over, do you want to come help me try this thing out?"

"Is it built for two?"

"We can make it work."

"I can't wait." Sam sighed happily, meaning it with all his heart as he pulled her into one last hug. They hugged until they could feel each other's hearts beating.

"Merry Christmas, Samtastic."

_I feel you Christmas_

_I know I've found you_

_You never fade away_

_The joy of Christmas_

_Stays here inside us_

_Fills each and every heart with love_

_

* * *

_You know what to do....

--------  
*Roxxy,  
How do you stay so fresh?  
I think cool thoughts.  
Happy Holidays!  
--------


	9. Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time

Here it is, the last pre-Christmas chapter. There's going to be 2 more after this, a New Years one and an epilogue.

I don't own what I obviously don't own! But I own Shawnee, Lou's girlfriend, and (so far) I think I own the idea of getting Spike and Kira together...? Maybe. I sort of own Kate Parker, and I own Lainey and Kady Wordsworth. Also, I don't own _Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas_ _Time_ by Paul McCartney.

This chapter is for **Lochlyn**! I hope I did a passable job on Greg's reunion with his family.

_

* * *

The moon is right_

_The spirits up_

_We're here tonight_

_And that's enough_

December 24, 7pm, Marriot Hotel.

The moment had almost arrived. In a few minuites, Greg Parker would walk through the doors of the hotel where dinner reservations had been made. He would expect to be seated with Team One for their annual family Christmas dinner, but then Spike would escort him into the next room where Kate and Dean were waiting. And what would happen after that was anyone's guess...

So far, the Lanes, the Wordsworths, and Spike were seated. Ed and Wordy were chatting easily, as were Sophie and Shelley. Lainey and Kady were harassing Clark. Allie was sneakily watching her parents, waiting for the right moment to sample a glass of wine. Poor Spike was sweating nervously, wishing Sam, Jules, or Lou was here so he had someone around who knew what was going on.

Outside, Sam was, for once, right on time. He swung his sexy Dodge truck into the parking lot with the ease of a guy who'd been trained to drive a Hummer. As he cruised confidently through the automatic spinning doors, hoping Jules would be in the lobby waiting for him, disaster struck. Who knows how, but shoelace became inadvertantly lodged between the plate of glass and the floor. Around he went about five times, trying not to panic, hoping he wouldn't keep going around until he eventually starved to death. This wasn't a manually operated door, this one spun around relatively quickly. Sam was finding it difficult to escape. Until a hand clamped firmly around his, and yanked him free of the door's potentially dangerous path, subsequently freeing his shoelace.

"So the door proved to be too much for you, huh Braddock?" Jules said seriously, tilting her head to the side and looking up at Sam.

"I'm not good at, um, that sort of stuff." Sam laughed, blushing. What a way to kick off Christmas Dinner.

"You won't get too far in life if you can't figure those doors out, Buddy."

"Yeah, well, Desert Kid. Is Sarge here yet?"

"Don't think so. I wonder if Spike's peed himself yet? I phoned him earlier, he was freaking out."

"He seemed fine after we dropped them off at the hotel. But I don't blame him for worrying, this coul have consequences."

"I just hope I'm around to see Greg's reaction when he sees Kate and Dean. How were they when you saw them?" Jules continued.

"Kate didn't look too uncomfortable, I think she'd ready to give him another chance. And Dean...well there's no doubt he's his father's son." Sam replied, smiling.

"That's great. I'm so glad she's not mad about this whole deal."

"Well, you never know what'll happen till they meet...everything can change in a second."

Nobody knew that better than the SRU.

"Well, let's go in." Sam sais as they arrived at the entrance to Team One's dining room.

"I'll go first." Jules teased. "You wouldn't want to run into any door problems."

Sam put his hand on her shoulder.

"What would I do without you?"

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_The party's on_

_The feelin's here_

_That only comes_

_This time of year_

Spike wasn't right tonight. Greg knew it the moment he said hi. He was very tense, and hyper-alert. It wasn't like him at all. Greg didn't comment, but decided to observe him as the evening went on, and later ask if he was Ok. But there was no need, as he would realise in a few minuites.

Team One was fuller than usual tonight. Ed and Wordy had their families along, Lou had his girlfriend Shawnee, and Spike had invited Kira. He began to take a seat beside Ed, but Spike interrupted.

"We have a little, um, change of plans, and you will be dining, um, in this fine room over here!" said Spike in an unnaturally nervous voice.

"Spike, is everything copasetic?" he asked in puzzlement as Spike led him into the next room, a private dining room.

"Everything is copasetic, and I truly hope it remains so." Spike replied with as much composure as he could muster. Then he escaped back to Team One's table, leaving Greg standing in the doorway. He glanced around the room Spike had brought him to.

His eyes fell on a table in the corner.

His heart stopped.

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_The word is out_

_About the town_

_To lift a glass_

_Ahhh don't look down_

Kate looked the same, but somehow different. Maybe it was the abscence of the anger on her face. But then again, Greg had always remembered her as the beautiful woman he married, not the angry one she'd become in the last years. And Dean...he'd forgotten how proud he was that Dean had his eyes. But why...and how?

_ Spike. _he thought. No wonder he'd seemed so nervous...it was just the type of thing he'd do! And he had seemed to act differently around Greg over the past few months. He'd give Spike a huge hug after this was over. Then he'd kill him.

His heart stopped again as Kate suddenly looked up and caught his eye. He raised his hand in an awkward greeting. Instinctively, his feet began to move towards her. Nine years alone was about to come to an end.

"Kate! It's nice to see you." he greeted her as calmly as he could.

"Hi, Greg. You look good." she answered in a tone that was cool but not unfriendly.

His eyes travelled from Kate to Dean. The teen was silent, but watching his father with a look of interest, if not affection.

"Dean." Greg whispered, his voice cracking. "It's...great to see you."

_An SRU negotiaor can't come up with anything better than "it's great to see you"? _he thought unhappily.

But then Dean did something that gave Greg hope again.

"It's great to see you again too, Dad." he said, extending his hand. Smiling. The shook hands, making contact for the first time in nine years. Such a simple gesture, but it melted Gerg's heart.

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_The choir of children sing their song_

_They practiced all year long_

_Ding dong, ding dong_

_Ding dong, ding dong_

"Well, I'm off to the bathroom." said Spike, getting up from Team One's table.

Jules grabbed him by the elbow and whispered into his ear,

"This is the third time in 10 minuites. Sam, Lou and I know you're going to spy on the Parkers, but everyone else is going to think you're having problems. Sit down, chill out, and leave Sarge alone!"

"Fine." Spike grumbled, sitting down before anyone could notice he'd gotten up.

*

"So, Clark, how many songs can you play on the guitar?" Lainey Wordsworth asked conversationally.

"I play the cello." Ed's son sighed boredly as he fished in his pocket for his iPod.

"Which is a type of guitar, _duuuuh_."

"No, Lainey, they both have strings but they're entirely different instruments."

"But it has strings, so it's obviously a guitar."

"_No, _it's not a guitar. They sound different, and you use a stick top play a cello."

"You can use a stick to play a guitar. I did, I found a stick in the garden, and I played Mommy's guitar and it sounded cool, but Daddy said I shouldn't do that. But all things with strings are guitars, there's just different types."

"Okay. You win. It's a guitar." Clark was too hungry to argue, and didn't feel up to matching wits with Lainey. Looking pleased with herself, the middle Wordsworth daughter proceeded to advise her younger sister upon the correct application of the lipgloss she'd found in her mother's purse.

*

As Jules chatted with Sophie, Spike leaned over to Sam and whispered,

"Have you told her she looks nice yet?"

"Was I supposed to?"

"Duh, man! You're supposed to compliment her 5 minuites, at the most, into the date! I think you're late."

"This isn't a date. And her and I both know she looks great." It was true. Sam had barely seen her out of her masculine SRU uniform. Tonight she was wearing jeans, but made them look fancy by pairing them with a drak red strapless top, and high-heeled boots. And she was wearing a beautiful necklace that set everything off.

"I know, but you have to tell her. It's the rules." said Spike firmly. "And it can technically be a date. It's dinner at a nice place, just think of it as your whole family tagging along."

When a golden moment occured, Jules wasn't talking to anyone, and she caught Sam's eye and smiled, Sam put on his best Date Face and said,

"You look very nice tonight." But somehow it sounded more impressive when he said it inside his head...

"Thanks, it's all because of this." she grinned, picking up the charm on the necklace she was wearing. It was the tiny sniper rifle Sam had given her. She'd put it on an old chain, along with a beautiful diamond star that had been her mother's.

They began to chat. Idle Christmas Dinner-style conversation. Because the prescence of everyone else prevented them from mentioning what they actually wanted to talk about.

_The party's on_

_The spirits up_

_We're here tonight_

_And that's enough_

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

In the next room, the unavoidble topic had been unearthed. Now that they were all caught up, dinner, was over, and Dean had gone back to the hotel room so Greg and Kate could talk. (and yes, Dean _did_ still like stock cars.), Kate had to ask,

"What happened after we left?"

Greg was silent for a while, staring into his glass of water, hoping in vain that it would tell him what to say next.

"Well...it wasn't so good." he managed to say at last. "I guess it was better that you weren't there."

Kate took a sip of wine, her eyes on Greg the whole time.

"But, if you hadn't left, I wouldn't have ended up like that." he added carefully, not knowing what her reaction would be.

Kate bit her lip.

"I'm sorry I put you through that." she said softly. "I really am. I didn't want to hurt you, but I couldn't just make myself stay."

"I understand completely. I was a bastard." he replied, using the word that he had only ever heard from Kate's lips to describe himself.

"Yeah, you were. I won't pretend otherwise."

"I don't expect you to. I deserved everything I went through."

Both were silent for a long time. The clink of forks and knives on plates were the only sound.

"Greg, we were absolutely evil to each other in the last years. I can't believe that was us. But I also can't believe how much you've changed. How long has it been since you drank?"

"Since Eddie dragged me to the briefing room to sit me down and tell me enough was enough, one year to the day you left. I swear he saved my life. 8 years, I've been sober."

"I remember Ed. Good guy. How's the team?"

"It's changed since you've been gone. Ed and Wordy are still around, but in the last few years we've added Lewis Young, Jules Callaghan, Micheal or Spike Scarlatti, and Sam Braddock."

"I had the honour of meeting Spike and Sam. They're both great, you're lucky to have guys like them."

"If you don't mind me asking, who planned this?"

"That would be Spike." Kate said with a reminiscent smile. "I got his first e-mail back in the summer. I told him-pretty rudely-that I wasn't interested. But he kept trying...and I'm really glad he did. Greg, I never thought I'd say this, but...I've missed you."

Greg was suddenly gripped with an urge to do something most unlike himself. Impulsively, he grabbed Kate's hand and knelt down on the floor.

"Kate, I know I have no business saying this, but will you come home to my-I mean, _our _house for Christmas?" he blurted out awkwardly. "I can understand if you don't want to, but Christmas Morning in a hotel isn't much of a Christmas Morning..."

"I'd like to do that, Greg." she answered with a genuine smile. "But I'm going to leave it up to Dean, Ok?

"That's a great idea. I hope this isn't going too fast for him...his last few memories of me aren't that great."

"We brought out the worst in each other." Kate sighed. "But you've changed. And I changed. I grew up."

"You didn't have to change." Greg said gently, sitting back down in his chair. "Our problems were all because of _my _problems."

"I don't know how it all began, and neither do you, and we could waste the rest of our lives placing blame and holding grudges, but all I can say is that it's over."

"So...do you want to come meet the rest of the team?" Greg asked when they'd finished eating.

"That'd be great." Kate answered.

Greg hoped they wouldn't all die of shock when they saw her.

**

"Daddy, your grape juice tastes nasty." Allie complained.

"Allie, that's red wine, not grape juice!" Wordy groaned. "You're not allowed to drink that till you're 30!"

"I'm never going to drink it _ever_ again." Allie growled, washing her mouth out with apple juice.

"That works for me." Wordy replied, smiling. "Oh, Greg, hey! Where have you been?"

"Team One, could I have your attention please?" he called, sounding slightly nervous. When everyone was looking up, he continued.

"You all know that my wife and I seperated nine years ago. I hadn't seen either of them...since tonight. And I can thank the one and only Spike Scarlatti for this."

He didn't look angry, so Sam and Lou yelled "We helped!" in unison.

"So, I'd like you all to meet, or re-meet, my dear friend Kate." he finished with a smile. Kate stepped out from behind the door, and Team One applauded welcomingly. Greg sat down beside Ed, who hissed in his ear,

"So let me get this straight. Spike dragged your ex back up here and you're just letting it slide?"

"Just leave it, ok Ed? At first I didn't know what to think, but dinner went well, so yeah, all I can do is be grateful to him."

Ed muttered something indistinctive and went into a conversation with Wordy. Kate was sitting at the girl's end of the table, chatting with Sophie and Shelley, who she'd met before, and being introduced to Jules, Kira, and Shawnee.

"Congratulations, buddy!" Sam grinned as Spike sighed in relief.

"Aww, Spike, that was really sweet!"said Kira, putting her hand on his.

*

"Who's up for some Timmy's?" called Ed after dessert was finished.

"Me me me me me!" Allie yelled.

"Eddie, we just finished supper." Sophie sighed.

"But the late-night Timmy's run is tradition!" Spike argued.

"All in favour of Timmy's?" Greg called authoratively.

Team One cheered loud enough for a waiter to come over to their table and ask if they were finished.

_The moon is right_

_The spirits up_

_We're here tonight_

_And that's enough_

It was snowing hard when Team One arrived at the spinning doors that had caused problems for Sam. Wordy and Shel bundled the girls into their winter clothes, and Sophie forced Clark to put on his mittens, as Kate phoned Dean and asked him to come meet everyone in the hallway. When the group left the hotel, Greg felt his heart melt as Dean began to walk beside him.

Close to Timmy's, Allie decided to take a detour into a little park to make snow angels. Lainy and Kady followed instantly. Even Clark joined in. (After Allie knocked him over.) Spike, Sam, Lou, Jules, Kira, and Shawnee engaged in a guys-vs-girls snowball war, much to Ed's annoyance. Shelley, Sophie, and Kate helped the girls build a snowman. Clark and Dean began chatting about music, sports, and girls. Greg, Ed, and Wordy sat on a bench and observed their friends and families.

"We should get going." Ed complained. "Timmy's might close early on Christmas Eve."

Greg began to respond, but Wordy beat him to it.

"Edward Lane, for once in your overworked life, appreciate the people you love and stop and smell the damn flowers! The world isn't going to end if you enjoy somethimg spontaneous."

For a moment, Ed looked pissed. Then he slowly bent down, picked up a handful of snow...and threw it at Wordy!

"It's _on_, man!" Wordy laughed, picking up a snowball of his own and whipping it at Ed's exposed head. Ed scooped up two handfuls of snow and threw one at Wordy and one at Greg.

"Did Ed just do something fun?" Spike yelled in amazement.

Sam picked up a chunk of ice, coated it in snow, and shot it at Ed. It hit him in the middle of the chest.

"Great snipe shot!" Lou grinned, slapping a hi-five with Sam.

"They don't call me Samtastic for nothing!"

"Samtastic _this_!" Jules shrieked, shoving a handul of snow down Sam's shirt. Sam half-laughed, half-screamed and tackled her. Both of them fell in a cloud of snow. For a moment, they forgot anyone else was around, as they lay on their backs, amidst the snow angels, side-by-side, staring into each other's eyes, with snow gently falling on their faces. Without any planning, or forethought, or wondering who was watching, their lips met. Several silent moments passed, and they parted. Sam stood up and gently pulled Jules up along with him.

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

"You're my snow angel." he breathed as he brushed snowflakes from her hair and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"You're my Samtastic." she smiled as they reluctantly began to walk back to the group, hands intertwined. Everyone had their backs to them, taking the opportunity to bombard Ed with snowballs. Except for Spike. He was watching them with his trademark Spike grin. Jules shot him an ice-cold glare, and he drew a finger across his lips in a "My lips are sealed." signal, and turned his back to them, indicating that they were free to carry on without any interruptions.

"Wanna come back to my house and keep me company tonight?" Sam whispered into her ear. She answered him by lightly brushing his cheek with her lips.

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

For a moment, Greg and Kate stepped away from the group.

"Dean is ready to come home for Christmas." Kate smiled. "I hope you have lots of food."

"When you're friends with all these guys," said Greg, gestruting at him teammates, "you keep lots of extra food in the house."

"I'm looking forwards to going back to that house." said Kate. "For every bad memory I have from there, I have two good ones."

"Remember that Christmas we had the huge storm?"

"I've never forgotten."

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

"So, Kira. What are you up to tomorrow?" Spike asked smoothly.

'Well, my parents were going to fly in from Quebec." she sighed. "But they're having a huge storm up there, so their flight got cancelled." she added sadly.

"Wanna meet me at Timmy's for Christmas Coffee tomorrow morning?"

"Don't you spend Christmas with your parents?"

"Honey, I _live_ with my parents. I've mastered the art of sneaking out by now."

"I'll see you there then. 7am. Sharp."

For once, Spike wouldn't mind waking up early. He looked around at Sam and Jules cuddling, Lou and Shawnee kissing (they didn't work together, so they were allowed), Ed and Sophie, talking and smiling, but not arguing, Wordy and Shelley playing with their daughters, and Greg and Kate. Side by side, together again.

He heard Sam walk up behind him.

"Looks like Operation Mistletoe worked out, huh?"

"Sarge is the perfect man, us mortals can only dream of having such a way with women. It was foolproof."

Sam frowned "We have pretty good ways with women, don't you think? I mean, _look_ at them!"

Spike grinned and patted Sam on the shoulder as they lovingly observed Jules and Kira.

"Come on, Samtastic, let's take our hot sniper girlfriends to Timmy's."

_Simply having a wonderful christmastime_

"Spike, man, we really have to cut back your coffee intake..."

* * *

Hopefully you didn't find any of that lame or mushy...I definitley rushed this story cuz I wanted to be done by Christmas.

Anywho, hope you all have great Christmases, but don't expect Santa to bring you rights to Flashpoint, or David Paetkau, cuz that's what he's bringing ME! Sorryyyy.

Merry Merry Merry Christmas 3

--------  
*Roxxy,  
How do you stay so fresh?  
I think cool thoughts.  
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from Roxypony studios and the Strategic Response Unit!  
--------


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